b'That helped my parents pay the tuition to send two of us to Don The handymanBosco High School, a former Marianist school.These days, when hes not engaged in work around the Residence,While Brother Richard and his family were devout Catholics, it Brother Richard enjoys maintaining the Residences fishpond andwasnt until his freshman year at Don Bosco that he first encountered tinkering in the sizable workshop downstairs.Marianists. He was taken by their community spirit and joy, partic- Our nuts and bolts collection is far more than most any hardwareularly the influence of the late Marianist Father Glennon McCarty. store, he saysnot to mention numerous power tools includingTalking with him did the trick, he says. I realized that teaching a chop saw, table saw, band saw, drill presses, plasma cutter andboys was what I wanted to do. welding equipment that are scattered around.Completing high school in three years, and also having skipped Brother Richards longtime friend and colleague, Ann Mueller,a grade earlier, Brother Richard was 18 years old when he made his communications specialist for the Province, describes him as afirst vows as a Marianist. ALL PHOTOS: ROBIN JERSTADHis teaching career began in St. Louis in 1952, at age 21;and soon after he transferred to St. Josephs School in Victoria,Texas. He taught or was involved in administration thereuntil 1976.Brother Richard likes to share a story about two St. Josephsstudents who had caused some trouble. Like a fair-mindedjudge, he allowed them to pick their punishment. I gave them two options, one of which entailed workingoutside with me for six Saturdays for six hours; they chosethat option, he says with a smile. And we worked hardplanting trees and more. Because of that experience, webecame close, and we remained friends for years.A gift for financeBrother Richards ministry shifted gears in 1976 when hejoined the former St. Louis Province as treasurer, handlingfinance, insurance and budgets. He stayed on the Counciluntil 1984, rejoining in 1995 at the request of Marianist Father Tim Dwyer.I first heard of Brother Richard in 1953, but it wasntuntil he agreed to be on the Council in 1995 that we livedtogether in community, and I got to really know him, Father Tim Brother Richard Dix, SM, takes a stroll around the Marianist Residence with says. Hes multitalented. He has the ability to juggle many things Father Tim Dwyer, SM.at once, and hes extremely competent in the area of finance. passionate handyman. I remember asking him one Monday aboutFor the record, Brother Richard honed his financial expertise his weekend, and he said, It was great! I scraped and painted windows,through business classes he took in the 1970s. Earlier, he had earned fixed the air conditioner and moved furniture.bachelors and masters degrees in biology at St. Marys University He loved doing fix- it projects while here in St. Louis, saysand University of Notre Dame, respectively. In 2002, he was called Ann. I think it was his form of relaxing. Besides, he is abundantlyto serve as assistant for temporalities (finance) for the Marianist energetic.Province of the United States. On his calling as a Marianist, Brother Richard reflects for aBrother Richard also has traveled on behalf of the Marianists to minute: Im doing it because Mary is asking me to do it, he says.Mexico, Eastern Africa and India on numerous occasions. He fondly Simple as that.remembers the people he met, especially in India. I visited a village nearRanchi in North Central India where some people were living in mud Alex Salinas is communications coordinator for the University Commu-huts, he says. Their hospitality and happiness were truly amazing. nications Office at St. Marys University.Please help the Marianists in caring for their senior priests and brothers.To donate,use the enclosed envelope or go to marianist.com/donate. For more information, contact Brother Alex Tuss, SM, at 937.222.4641, ext. 3003, or [email protected]/donate 9'