Richard E. Hrabko

1. Richard E. Hrabko, who followed a 36-year stint as Spirit of St. Louis Airport’s chief executive with more than two years running St. Louis Lambert International Airport, died Friday (April 14, 2017) at his home in O’Fallon, Mo., of cancer. He was 78.

“He loved aviation, but his real strength was business development and promoting aviation as an economic development tool,” said John Bales, who succeeded Mr. Hrabko as director at Spirit, a busy general aviation facility on what used to be Chesterfield Valley farmland.

Mr. Hrabko, a former Navy pilot who grew up in Tiffin, Ohio, was Spirit’s first employee when the field opened in 1964. He began as an air traffic controller, became airport manager in 1969 and then chief executive officer in 1971.

He stayed on when the privately owned facility was acquired by St. Louis County in 1980. Over the years he became a familiar fixture in county government, working for both Republican and Democratic county executives.

Spirit now houses dozens of corporate jets and has more than 3,000 people employed there and at its business park. Bales said it had an annual economic impact of $400 million.

“That would never have been possible without Dick Hrabko’s influence and guidance,” Bales said. “He looked at the airport as one of his children.”

Mr. Hrabko also guided Spirit’s recovery after the 1993 flood that devastated the valley.

In 2007, he left Spirit to become Lambert’s director after an earlier stint as interim director. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said Friday that Mr. Hrabko set the foundation for turning around the city-owned airport’s fortunes after American Airlines’ removal of its hub operations there.

Slay said Mr. Hrabko had pushed forward a $70 million renovation plan and reorganized the airport’s leadership structure. Slay called Mr. Hrabko’s death “a great loss for the region and the aviation community.”

County Executive Steve Stenger also commended Mr. Hrabko and said he’d be missed by “the countless people he worked with and mentored over the years.”

Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, who succeeded Mr. Hrabko at Lambert in 2010, said Mr. Hrabko “brought a private-sector, business-oriented vision” to help improve its financial stability. Since 2012, Mr. Hrabko had been St. Charles County’s representative on the part-time commission that oversees Lambert’s operations. Earlier, he had represented St. Louis County on the panel for six years.

Mr. Hrabko recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Missouri Airport Managers Association, which he helped begin.

Mr. Hrabko also was a major player in Chesterfield’s early years as a municipality, serving as a city councilman from 1988 to 1994.

He also was president of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and Chesterfield Kiwanis Club and for many years headed the St. Louis County Fair and Air Show held at Spirit.

For decades he played guitar in a rock band called The Last Resort, which often entertained at picnics, fairs and charity events across the metro area. Another favorite pastime was motorcycling, Bales said.

Loving husband of Cynthia K Hrabko; his 3 children, Tamara Malcolm (Keith), Scott Hrabko( Rachel), Rich Hrabko (Lisa); his 5 Grandchildren, Elyse and Hayley Malcolm, Sam Hrabko, Clayton and Jordan Hrabko; and one great grandchild Bryn Beshears. He is also survived by his step children, Gabriel Adams, Aaron Adams (Tiffani), Luke Adams (Valeria), Jessica Adams ( Bryan Thomason) and Kaylee Adams; and his 7 step grandchildren, Jolene and Reese Adams, Paige and Manu Adams, Gabrielle, Jase and Malia Thomason.

Donations can be made to the Bob Stewart Memorial scholarship at the address below, this helps College students/people that are going into the aviation career.

ATTN: Missouri Airport Managers Association

P.O. Box 681118

Kansas City, MO 64168

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 there will be a private memorial service for family followed by "Richard Hrabko Celebration of Life" from 3:00 -6:00 pm at a hanger at the Spirit of St Louis Airport, 18130 Edison Avenue, Chesterfield, MO  63005. This will be a in relaxed setting for those who knew and loved him.