TUPELO - Richard Lee Maenpaa, 90, of Tupelo, Mississippi, passed away peacefully on March 9, 2025. He was born on December 6, 1934, to his loving parents, G. John and Margaret Maenpaa, in Conneaut, Ohio. Richard graduated from Conneaut High School in 1952 and went on to earn a degree in Business from The Ohio State University. He met the love of his life, Joyce Palagyi at Conneaut High School. The two were married on December 29, 1956, and moved to Columbus, Ohio. They were married for 63 years until her death in 2020. In 1965, Richard left the ice and snow of the north and moved, with his family, to sunny Wauchula, Florida. He joined the engineering department of Peace River Electric Cooperative (PRECo) and became the General Manager in 1969, a position he held for 27 years until he retired in 1996.

In addition to his managerial responsibilities at PRECo, Richard served on the Florida Electric Cooperative Association (FECA) where he was on the Managers Committee for 20 years, 13 of those years as the Chairman. Richard also served on the Board of Trustees for South Florida State College from 1999 to 2011. Richard was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Wauchula for almost 50 years until he and Joyce moved to Mississippi. While in Florida, Richard and Joyce were both very involved in St. Michael Catholic church, where Richard was a weekly lector and led the hymns with his beautiful baritone voice, standing each week right next to Joyce who was the organist. The couple loved to travel and visit other countries. They took each of their four grandsons on a trip anywhere they wanted to go in Europe. Richard and Joyce saw the pyramids of Egypt and the Gobi desert of China. They loved visiting Italy and France. Even in retirement, they continued to learn and grow by exploring new places and meeting new people.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 AM on March 17, 2025 at St. James Catholic Church in Tupelo, Mississippi. Richard will be buried next to his wife Joyce, in Conneaut, Ohio, with a Graveside service on March 21, 2025 at 11 AM at Center Cemetery. Holland Funeral Directors and Marcy Funeral home are honored to be serving the family.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Joyce.

Survivors are son, Tim (Margarita) of Grayson, Georgia; daughter Lori Culp (Rick) of Tupelo, Mississippi; five grandchildren, Stephen Maenpaa of Statesboro, Georgia, Michael Maenpaa (Michelle) of Alpharetta, Georgia, Richmond Culp of Fort Klamath, Oregon, Ryan Culp (Clara) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Hannah Ruth Culp of Tupelo, Mississippi; four great-grandchildren, Sawyer Maenpaa, Rose Culp, Bryce Maenpaa, and Etta Joy Culp.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to St. James Catholic Church, 845 Lakeshire Dr., Tupelo, MS 38804, or Methodist Senior Services, P.O. Box 1567, Tupelo, MS 38802.