T. Dick Fleming, 90, of Clinton, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at Lee’s Summit Medical Center in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Dick Fleming was born in the small community of Annona, Texas, on December 29, 1934, the son of Eldredge Fleming and Lillian (McGill) Fleming. Dick had a brother, Eldredge, and a sister, Virginia. Both have preceded him in death.
He grew up in the Annona community and attended Annona School before going on to East Texas State College, now known as Texas A&M University–Commerce. After graduating college, he took a job with the Methodist Church in Sulphur Springs and Dallas, Texas.
His journey into medicine began in Dallas in 1963, three days after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He was employed with the Dallas County Medical Society until 1968. That summer, he joined the Southwest Clinic in Dallas to help develop a new computer billing system, Medical Computer Systems, which became a forerunner of nationwide medical billing.
He left Southwest in 1971, moving to Clinton, Missouri, to manage a seven-man group, Wetzel Clinic, and to oversee the construction of a new clinic building. From 1971 to 1999, Dick managed and built three medical clinics in Clinton, Warsaw, and Garden City. He also built and managed Clinton’s newest nursing home, Westwood. From 1971 to 1972, he managed and closed Wetzel Hospital to make room for the new Golden Valley Memorial Hospital. During his nearly 40 years of management, over 20 doctors were recruited to the area.
Dick was President of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce in 1974, Industrial Promotion Chairman, and President of the area transportation service that same year. He led the Up With People youth organization from 1972 to 1974, was President of the Missouri MGMA in 1981, and served on numerous local and regional boards, including the Clinton Redevelopment Corporation, Risk Control Insurance, Main Street Financial Committee, Truman Regional Learning Center, Kaysinger Regional Planning, Industrial Development Association of Clinton, and the Community Association of Regional Enterprises.
He was also involved with the Missouri Advisory Board of Multi-State Transportation Systems, chaired the 7–13 Highway Project Coalition until completion, and served as Vice Chairman of the 13 Warrensburg Coalition. Dick was instrumental in bringing State Fair Community College to Clinton, providing a true campus presence for the area. He was a member of the C.A.R.E. Board and contributed to many community efforts.
His work was published in the Dallas Medical Journal, Dialogue Magazine, Cooperation Magazine, The Harbinger, and the Rural Primary Care Newsletter. He was a guest speaker at many group management meetings across the United States.
Among his many accomplishments, Dick was most proud of the remodeling of the Wetzel Clinic building and the establishment of State Fair Community College’s Clinton campus, the 1974 completion of the Harry S. Truman Dam after more than 20 trips to Washington, D.C., to testify before Congress as President of the Upper Osage Grand River Basin Association, and the over 30-year effort to complete the four-lane expansion of Highways 13 and 7 to and through Clinton.
He married Nancy Helen (Bowen) Krell in Clinton in 1998. She survives of the home.
Additional survivors include four children, Michael Fleming, Laura Kaye Wilson, Eric Krell, and Jenn Hayes; and seventeen grandchildren, Adam Butler, Nena Stockdall, Jacob Fleming, Scott Fleming, Dalton Hayes, Macy Hayes, Matthew Wilson, Andrew Wilson, Emily Wilson, Taylor Wilson, Tiffany Wilson, Bryan Wilson, Carsen Krell, Ashlyn Krell, Graysen Krell, Jacki Rush, and Terri Ozinga.
Celebration of Life and Memorial Service will be at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the Clinton Methodist Church. The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., just prior to the Celebration. Interment will be at a later date in Englewood Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the Clinton Animal Shelter, the Clinton Methodist Church Youth Program, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. These donations may be left in care of the Bradley & Hadley Funeral Home, Clinton.
Condolences may be left online at www.bradleyhadley.com.
