Richard "Dick" Ricker

Dick Ricker, 84, died on May 25, 2021. He was born on November 16, 1936 in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, the eldest of three children to Cecil and Jean Ricker. He is survived by his wife Linda Rapp Ricker, whom he married in Columbus, OH on May 25, 1963, their five children and spouses: Doug Ricker (MaryLaura), Theresa Sutor (Mark), Veronica Thompson, Tim Ricker (Wendy), Lana Hurley; their twenty grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and his sisters Susan (Jay) Reeves, and Rosemary (Anthony) Derrick.

Dick spent most of his childhood years in Richmond, IN, where he graduated from Richmond High School in 1954, and played on their 1952 state championship football team. He attended Purdue University, played football on the Boilermakers football team, and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dick will be remembered for his many years as a high-school history teacher, football coach, and mentor to student teachers. He began his teaching and coaching career in Rossville, IN. He was then on the coaching staffs that started football programs in Thorntown, IN and at Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis. Dick took his first head coaching job at Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, IN, and led the Mustangs to several winning seasons.

He spent the last 36 years of his coaching and teaching career with the Indianapolis Public Schools system, where he was first hired as head coach at Harry E. Wood High School until it closed. After that, he was head coach for many years at Crispus Attucks High School, where he led the initiative to install lights on their football field. After Attucks closed, he coached at Washington High School with the legendary Bob Springer. Dick finished his coaching and teaching career at Broad Ripple High School, where he led them to a city championship before retiring in 2009.

In addition to his teaching and coaching career, he was also a motor route Indianapolis Star delivery man to hundreds of customers for many years (to the chagrin of his children, he enlisted their help most mornings as well), and taught driver’s education and evening school.

After retirement, Dick enjoyed a multitude of activities, including singing karaoke, traveling in his motor home with Linda to show their Pomeranian show dogs throughout the Midwest, masterminding family activities, hosting 33 years of his now infamous race day pool party, and becoming one of the biggest Colts fans in Indianapolis. One of his favorite retirement activities was entertaining and having a drink – or two or three – with his family and friends on his back deck, where they could tell tall tales and “be somebody”.

The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Monica Catholic Church at noon on Tuesday, June 1st. The mass will be preceded with visitation at 10:00 am at St. Monica. Dick will be laid to rest at Washington Park North Cemetery in Indianapolis. Flanner Buchanan has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Dick’s name to the Crispus Attucks High School Football Team Equipment Fund. Online condolences may be expressed at flannerbuchanan.com.