Ralph Pfremmer Jr.

PFREMMER Ralph Pfremmer Jr., 73, died Saturday, March 11, 2006, after a long illness. His parents were Ralph Kendrick Pfremmer and Angie Ward Pfremmer also longtime residents of Columbia, Mo. Mr. Pfremmer was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served in the Korean War conflict stationed there in 1952 as a forward weather observer. He returned to Chanute AFB and studied to become a weather forecaster. Upon his release from the Air Force, he attended the University of Missouri Columbia. While there, he founded Columbia Loan Company which later merged with Thrifty Finance and Credit Company with associate Bill Wallendorf. Thrifty Finance was later sold to Interstate Securities of Kansas City, Mo. He earned the nickname "Friendly Ralph" from the classic slapstick TV commercials on KOMU TV in the late 1960's appearing with longtime friend Dave Allen of Columbia, Mo. He attended Columbia Public Schools and graduated from Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Mo. In 1970, he was voted Missouri State Young Democrats President and was selected as the outstanding Missouri Young Democrat (Hinkle Statler Award) in 1969. He was appointed to the Crime Commission and Ad Hoc committee created by then Mayor Les Proctor in Columbia. He was a board member of the Missouri Capitol Society, a philanthropic organization for the arts in the Capitol Building in Jefferson City, Mo. He was also a board member of the Missouri Consumer Finance Association, and past Board Member of the Columbia Country Club. He was on the advisory board of the Salvation Army, Finance Officer of Post 202 of the American Legion, a member of the Lions Club, and was Chairman of the Building Committee of the Jaycee Building and Construction. He was also a past member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. In 1960 Governor John Dalton awarded the Missouri State License Bureau for Boone County to Mr. Pfremmer which later became the office of Thrifty Finance at 16 North 8th Street in Columbia, Mo. After a successful career in finance, Pfremmer entered the restaurant industry, operating several businesses with a longtime friend and associate, William Bratrud of Rochester, Minnesota. Pfremmer owned four franchised quick serve restaurants called Ku Ku Burger out of Kansas, which was later sold and became part of the Hardees restaurant chain. He and Bratrud purchased Jack's Gourmet Restaurant from the "original" Jack's Coronado Restaurant owner, Jack Crouch, in the late 1960's and later sold it to then partners Ken Applegate and Balder Werner. He opened 2100 West, Mid-Missouri's first discotheque, known for its 1970's vintage artwork and social hotspot at the Crossroads West Shopping Center in Columbia. He created Phil E. Busters, a local political watering hole in Jefferson City, which became Bones'. Later in his hospitality career, he managed private golf and country clubs in Kansas and Missouri, including Sunset Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. and Lake Forest Country Club in Lake Saint Louis, Mo. Pfremmer and wife Beverly retired in the Lake of the Ozarks in 1991 to manage ServiceMaster of the Lake. After leaving the restaurant business and between retirement, he was a registered lobbyist in Jefferson City for the Missouri Liquor Retailer Association founded with longtime friend and associate, John Strecker of Columbia, Mo. Pfremmer enjoyed golf and the outdoors in Surprise, Ariz. where he lived before moving back to Columbia in 2003. He was a mentor to many, an entrepreneur, always offering a firm handshake, a friendly smile and sound advice to those he loved. He will be missed. He is survived by sister Jeanne Jacobson of Scottsdale, Ariz; son, Ralph Pfremmer III of Chesterfield, Mo.; daughter, Kathryn Ann Pfremmer of Columbia, Mo., granddaughter, Natalie Jane Pfremmer of Chesterfield, Mo. and former wife, Judith Leon of Torrance, Calif. He has three stepchildren and six step-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, friends and extended family. He was preceded in death by his wife Beverly Barnhart Pfremmer of Jefferson City, Mo. and his sister Barbara "Sally" Lamison of Wayne, New Jersey. Funeral services will be held at the Woodcrest Chapel, 2201 West Nifong, Columbia, Mo., Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at 12 noon with full military honors. Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery, Jefferson City, Mo. Visitation will be held at the Woodcrest Chapel from 11:00 a.m. until 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Ralph Pfremmer Endowed Scholarship in Entrepreneurship at Lindenwood University, 209 South Kingshighway, St. Charles, MO 63011. Arrangements are under the direction of the Buescher Memorial Home.