By Kathryn Rice

Although his work as a pharmacist has taken Rick Carter many places over the past 35 years, he has always lived in the Maryville area.

The Rogers Pharmacy staff are Debbie Garrett, store manager, Stephanie New, pharmacy technician, Tonya Runde, pharmacy technician, Rick Carter, pharmacist in charge, Julie Simmerman, pharmacist, and Janice Fritz, home medical staff. Not pictured is JD Dirks, home medical staff.

The Rogers Pharmacy staff are Debbie Garrett, store manager, Stephanie New, pharmacy technician, Tonya Runde, pharmacy technician, Rick Carter, pharmacist in charge, Julie Simmerman, pharmacist, and Janice Fritz, home medical staff. Not pictured is JD Dirks, home medical staff.

Now the opportunity to live and work in Maryville has brought Carter full circle as he is the pharmacist in charge at Rogers Pharmacy and Home Medical Equipment, 125 East South Avenue, Maryville.

Rogers Pharmacy is a one-stop healthcare shop that can take care of prescriptions, oxygen, nebulizers and home healthcare equipment, Carter said. The independent pharmacy chain, owned by Melvin Rogers, Fairfax, has made its fourth store location in Maryville. The others are located in Mound City, Tarkio and St. Joseph.

Carter is originally from Skidmore. He worked at Haines Drug in Maryville while attending Northwest Missouri State University as a pre-pharmacy major. He completed his pharmacy degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. One of his rotations during pharmacy school was under Jim Bailey at St. Francis Hospital, Maryville. Upon completing pharmacy school, Carter’s first official job as a pharmacist was at the Rogers Pharmacy Tarkio location.

He moved from working at Rogers to a pharmacy in Laurie in 1984. In 1985, he had the opportunity to open his own drugstore in the Family Medicine and Surgery Association practice, Maryville, under Doctors Harr, Wurm, Dean and Jeffries.

While operating this store, Carter purchased the Weston pharmacy in 1993. In 2002, he purchased the former Goodrich Dairy building on South Main and moved his pharmacy from the clinic. In 2008, he sold his business to Hy-Vee.

In the fall of 2008, he opened a new store in the Price Chopper at Platte City which he sold in the fall of 2015 to begin working full time at Rogers in Maryville. The Weston Pharmacy closed in 2012.

“I wanted to come home,” Carter said. “My mother is 90 years old and I want to spend more time with her.”

By not having to commute, Carter can have lunch with his mother and stop in to visit her on a more frequent basis.

“I had said probably if I ever worked for someone again it would be Melvin Rogers,” Carter said. “I’ve worked in a pharmacy in Maryville in five different decades. I’m taking care of people I’ve known my whole life.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. I want people to give the independents a chance. Rogers has made a commitment to Maryville and Northwest Missouri. We have an excellent staff here who care about our customers.”

Rogers Pharmacy is open 8 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 2 pm, Saturdays. For more information, call 660.562.2300.

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