Lawrence F. "Bud" Rakestraw passed away peacefully on May 15, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. Born during the Great Depression in rural southeastern Kansas, he recognized the value of hard work and education as a springboard to opportunity. Bud received his BS from McPherson College in 1956, funding his degree by working long, hot summers in the oilfields of Kansas and Oklahoma. In college he developed an interest in chemistry, which led him to complete a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nebraska in 1963 despite a devasting fire in his laboratory that destroyed much of his thesis work and data, and set back his degree completion. Following graduation, Bud worked for 33 years with Monsanto and its successor companies as a research chemist and manager of technical services. His professional output included more than 25 patents as well as co-authorship of the leading standards for the transport, utilization and storage of water treatment and pool chemicals.

While at the University of Nebraska, Bud met and married Betty D. Rakestraw (née Topliff) to whom he was a devoted husband for 58 years until her passing in 2019. Bud was the beloved father of their three children: Scott Rakestraw, Shari (Bill) Reller and Christine (Dave) Sadler and proud grandpa of four grandchildren: Stephanie (fiancé Brian) and Alexander (Katy) Rakestraw; Kendall and Jordan Sadler, all of whom survive Bud. Bud was preceded in death by his siblings Dariel Rakestraw and Rosalie Goodrich and his dear daughter-in-law Julie Rakestraw.

Bud was passionate about sports, especially golf and baseball. If he wasn't playing a round of golf, he was watching it on T.V. Bud played baseball growing up and was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan to the point that his 1952 high school class prophecy predicted that he would somehow find his way into the Cardinals organization.

Services: Memorial service at the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 11:30 a.m. with visitation starting at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers and if desired, the family requests that donations be made to Folds of Honor or Wounded Warrior Project . The family also wishes to express their most sincere gratitude to the wonderful caregivers who supported Bud over the years as well as the staff at Dolan Memory Care Homes and Solace Hospice for the outstanding care they provided over the final days.

A wonderful life well-lived
Husband, father, grandfather, best friend
He will be greatly missed