Herrold Rickey

Herrold Arthur Rickey, 90, died peacefully on Monday, December 26, 2016, surrounded by the love of his family.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 30, 2016, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ogden. Pastor Chris Cowan will officiate. Burial will be at Robbins Cemetery, rural Woodward, Iowa. Visitation will be Thursday, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Carson – Stapp Funeral Home in Ogden. For online obituaries and condolences please visit: www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Herrold Rickey was born May 1, 1926, to Arthur and Birdie (Herrold) Rickey on a farm south of Woodward, Iowa. He graduated from Woodward High School in 1944. After graduating, he met Doris Cireta Mowrer from Perry, Iowa. They fell in love and were married on June 2, 1946. Shortly after their marriage, Cireta became ill and had to go to Oakdale Hospital. Of course, Herrold followed her there where he worked as a maintenance worker. Together they raised five children: Diane (Lee) Amundson, Connie (Steve) Pearson, Mary (Mark) Boyd, Martha Ervin, and Glen (Kristen) Rickey. The family was blessed with 12 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

Herrold worked hard all his life in several jobs, including on the farm, the gas station, the grain elevator, the creamery truck, and building awnings. He sharpened saws out of his home beyond his 90th birthday. He was very proud of his work at Northern Natural Gas, where he retired in 1983 after working 37 years.

Herrold was loved and respected by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. To his family, he was dad or grandpa, the man who shared his home, his love, and his strength and loved us all unconditionally. The times we had together at the lake and at the Rickey Christmas were memories we will cherish. To his friends and neighbors he was someone you could always count on, to plow a garden, sharpen a saw, enjoy conversation on the deck, and share his knowledge to help solve a problem. He cherished his special friend, Sylvia, and greatly enjoyed their long rides in the countryside and many conversations over dinner.

To all of us he was the model for the best we could aspire to be: kind, generous, and unassuming despite the great man we all recognized him to be. We were blessed to be a part of his life and will miss him greatly.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his wife of 64 years, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.