passing away of a treasured friend

[Stichill_imp]

Thank you Judy for having the emotional fortitude to come to a motorcycle forum and post this shocking news. You must be made of some very strong stuff indeed. Your philosophical approach to the way a man would leave this earth if he could choose is rare indeed, and incredibly respectful of who the man was at his core and how he approached life and how he assumed the risk of death doing something he loved.

[crutch_imp]

It's midnight here (friday) and I just read the news.
Sorry I've missed all of the private messages, been busy here.
I'm going to try to make the funeral, it's 90 minutes from here.
I'll have to jet to get there and back in order to take care of my father.
At a loss for words.
He was such a nice guy, didn't say much at the rally.
I was shocked to learn he was 71.
He was polite and reserved, but if you looked up "physics teacher" in the dictionary you'd expect to see his picture.
He was a quiet reserved gentleman when on two feet, but when he got on his bike, is other side came out, he rode with a real passion.
On our last night of the rally, Empty Sea asked us what our interests were outside of CB1100's, Physics Professor hadn't said much all week, but suddenly launched into a long passionate speech of his love for astronomy. Part of it was his plans for viewing the upcoming eclipse. It's best viewing spots, angles, arcs etc.
He was a intelligent man of many diverse interests, only one of which was riding motorcycles.
Now I think he'll have a better view of the eclipse than any of us.
crutch.

[emptysea]

Thanks for reminding me about the astronomy conversation. I'm not much of a believer in signs from above and the like, but I find it interesting that kvdv started a thread here about the path of the eclipse just a few hours after the approximate time of Rick's accident. I can't help but think that he would have been an enthusiastic contributor to that that thread.

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....ht=eclipse

At the rally, Rick was urging us to get to the Totality Band to fully experience the eclipse. On August 21st, weather permitting, I will be riding 340 miles south to do just that.

[Retsel_imp]

Judy, my heart felt condolences go out to you, your family, and all his friends. As the moon passes the sun the world will become a little dimmer. Much as it has with hearing of Rick's passing.

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

[crutch_imp]

Attended the funeral today.
Those of us lucky enough to meet Rick at the Eureka Springs rally barely scratched the surface of knowing this man.
He was a man of great intellect. Had a PHD. in Astrophysics.
Was an avid cave explorer, a published cave photographer, a musician, an international hiker, fisherman, and had a long passion for motorcycles and astronomy. They had pictures playing on some large screens and I counted 12 different motorcycles, (not including his CB) and probably as many telescopes. He was also notoriously "thrifty", as those of us at the Rally remember with a smile. He taught high school physics for 17 years, was married to a very nice woman for 47 years.
He took his family to live for 3 years in Bolivia, in the jungles along the Amazon.
This quiet gentleman lived a VERY FULL life.
His minister said something that stuck with me, he said "that's why Rick rode his motorcycles the way he did, he wasn't afraid".
He wasn't afraid of meeting his maker, because he had lived his life to the fullest.
I wore my CB1100 forum tshirt to the service. I felt a little out of place, but it was the only way I knew Rick.
It was an open casket funeral, he was laid to rest wearing his Red Honda motorcycle jacket. I spoke a few words with his wife, she saw my shirt and said to thank everyone for the flowers, and how much he loved the group. So thanks to those who handled the flowers, I'll catch up on my mail and send a check to chip in tomorrow.
You can to go to http://www.smithmortuaryinc.com and read the short online memorial and leave a note if you wish.

We all would have been better people for knowing this gentle man better.
R.I.P.

crutch

[Cormanus]

Crutch, thanks for representing us all at the funeral. Decent of you.

[hdvalente_imp]

Dear Judy,
Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of your husband. I am truly sorry to hear this.
I was suppose to meet him at the Eureka Springs Rally but was not fortunate to do so.
May my prayers help comfort you, your family and all his friends.
Magnus

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[Guth_imp]

crutch, I'd also like to thank you for attending the funeral. I really appreciate you sharing your experience with all of us as well as passing along Judy's thoughts.

[emptysea]

Thank you, Crutch. Thank you so much.

[the Ferret]

So glad you went and represented us Crutch, you are an excellent representative. Did not know all that stuff about Rick. We learned a little of it at the rally, but there was a lot below the surface we never saw. What an amazing man.

I am astonished he was buried in his motorcycle jacket. His passion for motorcycles must have been deep and his wife must have known how much it meant to him.