Edward Henry Ricke |
| Posted 2009-09-08 by Sharon |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ September 20, 2006, p. A10. Edward Henry Ricke was born Nov. 20, 1938 to William and Lucille (Pond) Ricke in Clearwater/Bagley, Minn. Ed was the fifth of what ended up being eight siblings in the family - seven brothers and one sister - Donald, James, Richard (Dutch), Patricia (Kihlstadius), Edward, Robert (Bing), Michael and Joseph. As a youth growing up in Minnesota, he quickly fell in love with the outdoors and so enjoyed hunting and fishing. Ed left home when he was quite young but did graduate from Hopkins High School. He found employment as a youth in a creamery/dairy, which he made clear that he did not enjoy at all. As a young man he worked as a door-to-door salesman selling pots and pans, at a Supervalueware store and at one time had a partnership with his brother in the logging business. But it would not take Ed long to settle on his life's work as he discovered the joy of being a contractor building custom homes. Of course the first home in Minnesota was quite a challenge, but he took great pride in each home he built. On June 7, 1956, he married Jane Bratrsofsky and to that union came three children, Steve, Katherine and Susan. During his life he lived in many different places in Minnesota - Bagley, Rochester, Edina, Deerwood, Bemidji, and in his 30s purchased a cabin on a small island in Lake of the Woods. It was there on the lakes of Minnesota that Ed would teach his children how to water-ski in the summer. How he loved to show off jumping the wake. And of course with the winter brought snowmobiling and perhaps a bit of ice fishing. Then in 1983 Ed left the snow and ice of Minnesota and moved to the southwest desert, settling in Wickenburg, Ariz., to build houses, and his family soon followed. Here in the last 23 years Ed has left quite a mark on Wickenburg, building many custom homes as well as the Ricke Apartments. Many local contractors got their start helping Ed build homes as young men. Ed continued his love for hunting even here in the southwest. He still somehow found a way to hunt big game like deer and elk, and enjoyed as well hunting birds with his bird dogs, be it quail, pheasant or dove. And of course he still found time to wet a pole be it on the desert lakes or up in Pinedale, Wyo., where he would summer as well. Early in life Ed picked up a golf club and found great joy in the game, and eventually became a member of the Wickenburg Country Club as well as the Rendezvous Meadow Country Golf Club in Pinedale. Ed as well became a member of the Elks Club upon moving to Wickenburg. On Oct. 11, 1999 Ed married Wendy (Wilson). The two continued to build houses in Wickenburg and take a break by spending the summer in Pinedale or Minnesota. In 2000 Ed was diagnosed with Parkinson's, but did not let that slow him down. He continued building and was looking forward to finishing up the current house in which he and Wendy reside on Peach Drive in Wickenburg just off the fourth fairway of the Wickenburg Country Club. In November of 2005 Ed met a new challenge - that of being given a diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor, and prepared himself for the battle that was sure to come. Strangely enough though, neither the tumor nor Parkinson's took his life, but rather a blood clot in his lung. Ed passed from death to everlasting life with Jesus on Sept. 12 at Saint Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., leaving yet to toil in this life wife Wendy, children Steve (Debbie) Ricke, Katherine (Bill Campbell) and Susan Ricke all of Wickenburg, blood grandchildren Joe, David and Stephanie and great-granddaughter Kayla, as well as stepchildren, step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren that he loved as his own. He was preceded in death by parents William and Lucille and two brothers Donald and Richard. Ed faithfully attended the 8 a.m. service at Mount Hope Assembly, where he requested his funeral be held. A reception for family and friends was held at the Wickenburg Elks Lodge following the service. In lieu of flowers it is requested that donations be made in his name to the Wickenburg Elks Lodge. Arrangements have been made by David's Desert Chapel, 325 W Yavapai Street in Wickenburg. See Also: Find A Grave |
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