Rick was a good friend of mine, as he was to many of us. He stayed in touch with me until the mid to late eighties. Rick was in Des Moines for quite awhile; I believe he was an insurance adjustor involving plane accident claims, and I think he had told me he had an aeronautics degree from a college in FL. At that time he was married and had a daughter he adored (her name may have been Courtney). The last time I spoke to him, he was living in Omaha. Rick said he was flipping through his rolodex and came to my name, so he gave me a call and we had a great visit. That is how it rolled with Rick; every so often I would hear from him, but I only saw him once when he stopped by when I lived in Blue Grass. Of course he was the same charmer he always was (my mom thought he was the best!). I was saddened to hear of his passing. He will be missed at our reunion, as will our other classmates that are no longer with us.
I have fond memories of Rick. After all, he's the guy that told me it was time for me to learn to drive a "three on a tree", so one night out at the harbor, I learned to drive a stick on his Ford station wagon. Thanks to him, I became a Mario Andretti! I doubt is Susie knew he was giving driving lessons with the car, but I'm sure she suspected Rick was always up to something! She was wonderful to him when they lost their parents. That may have been the summer he worked the barge line on the Mississippi...life was an adventure for him...and I am glad. RIP, friend.
Rick and I became instant pals when we met at Holy Ghost. I remember riding my bike all the way out Peru Road to visit. I remember thinking 'O how neat to live on the bank of the Mississippi'. On one visit Rick showed me the roap swing he had put on a limb. He was already ace at swinging out over the river; and naturally, I took a turn. If I remember, I fell into the shallow water; but it was enough for Rick's mother to say 'enough' !
We remained close friends through high school. In our senior year Rick piled seven of us into his '41 Pontiac hearse and we drove to Ft. Lauderdale during Easter break. You can imagine what it was like for a bunch of kids to see dolphins,palm trees, and the ocean. We returned two days late, and we did get punnished for that stunt; but it was worth it.
The summer after graduation, we drove the '41 to New Jersey to meet-up with a few girls we had met in Florida. We all shared an apartment and found jobs. Rosie, my girlfriend, used to drive us into The Village. Her brother had bought her a new Mustang. We missed Dylan by a couple years, but it was still a very exciting place to be.
On the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Rick decided it was time I drove the '41. I had not gotten my licence, and I was put in the drivers seat, in spite of numerous licenced drivers. I did pretty good until I downshifted to 2nd. Never let out the clutch in 2nd at 40mph ! Rick just laughed and said 'well, you're learning'.
My mother gave Rick room and meals for a while, and he was 'one of the family'. Soon, we were all traveling around the country, and doing the things Baby Boomers did back then. I went to San Francisco a few months. I lost track of Rick, but did connect when we were in the same place.
The last time I saw Rick, he was living in Des Moines, and on the road [imagine that....], processing insurance claims. He still had that whimsical nature and laugh.
I cannot recall all the times we shared here. He was a true friend always. I am sure many from Holy Ghost had a genuine connect with Rick. His whimsical and fun nature was infectious.
He and I spent hours on the phone. He was the very first boy to kiss me. I remember that day like it was yesterday. For some unknown reason, my Mom let me go to Rick's house on the river and after we ate Rick asked if I wanted to go for a ride in his flatbottom boat. I said, "of course" and off we went, he was sitting in the back steering the outboard and I was in the front facing backwards. All of a sudden he shut off the engine and asked me to sit in the back with him- and he kissed me. Oh, I thought I was going to swoon !!!Earlier that day we also water skiied on the river, just he and I-- no spotter--yikes!
When I moved to Bettendorf in the summer after 9th grade Rick and I wrote letters for a long time and visited each other as often as we could. I gave him back the ring after a while ( a faux ruby go-steady ring) and we were both sad. We were too young and it was too difficult to keep the relationship going.
The last time I Rick saw was sometime in the 80's. I think Carol Hansen (Fink) told him where I worked and he called me there and said he was in town and wanted to see me. I told him I would love to see him and he stopped and we had a nice chat . I think he was divorced at the time, but , Of course, I was happily married. Always thought some day I would see him again.
Rick was an immediate friend to everyone. Not only his classmates, but the teachers, Nuns and Priests.
He always seemed to be there to smooth things over when any of us got into trouble as he had the Nuns wrapped around his finger.
He and I "clicked". Mostly in 8th grade.
He got me a gig with the First Friday Singers when he convinced the singing Nun that my voice was deep enough to sing in that choir.
I stayed overnight a few times at his parents home by John Deere. We would take out his boat, going up and down the river, doing some fishing and just enjoying nauture. We had some good talks, laying out under the stars overnight.
Until he introduced me to it, I had no idea what it was like to swim in the rock quarry.
We did a science project together. A demonstration of how the lungs worked. We donated the poject to the school and over the years I wanted to claim it. Now that Rick is gone, I wish I had it as a memorial to him.
Carol Fink (Hansen)
Rick was a good friend of mine, as he was to many of us. He stayed in touch with me until the mid to late eighties. Rick was in Des Moines for quite awhile; I believe he was an insurance adjustor involving plane accident claims, and I think he had told me he had an aeronautics degree from a college in FL. At that time he was married and had a daughter he adored (her name may have been Courtney). The last time I spoke to him, he was living in Omaha. Rick said he was flipping through his rolodex and came to my name, so he gave me a call and we had a great visit. That is how it rolled with Rick; every so often I would hear from him, but I only saw him once when he stopped by when I lived in Blue Grass. Of course he was the same charmer he always was (my mom thought he was the best!). I was saddened to hear of his passing. He will be missed at our reunion, as will our other classmates that are no longer with us.
I have fond memories of Rick. After all, he's the guy that told me it was time for me to learn to drive a "three on a tree", so one night out at the harbor, I learned to drive a stick on his Ford station wagon. Thanks to him, I became a Mario Andretti! I doubt is Susie knew he was giving driving lessons with the car, but I'm sure she suspected Rick was always up to something! She was wonderful to him when they lost their parents. That may have been the summer he worked the barge line on the Mississippi...life was an adventure for him...and I am glad. RIP, friend.
Rick Kutsch
Rick and I became instant pals when we met at Holy Ghost. I remember riding my bike all the way out Peru Road to visit. I remember thinking 'O how neat to live on the bank of the Mississippi'. On one visit Rick showed me the roap swing he had put on a limb. He was already ace at swinging out over the river; and naturally, I took a turn. If I remember, I fell into the shallow water; but it was enough for Rick's mother to say 'enough' !
We remained close friends through high school. In our senior year Rick piled seven of us into his '41 Pontiac hearse and we drove to Ft. Lauderdale during Easter break. You can imagine what it was like for a bunch of kids to see dolphins,palm trees, and the ocean. We returned two days late, and we did get punnished for that stunt; but it was worth it.
The summer after graduation, we drove the '41 to New Jersey to meet-up with a few girls we had met in Florida. We all shared an apartment and found jobs. Rosie, my girlfriend, used to drive us into The Village. Her brother had bought her a new Mustang. We missed Dylan by a couple years, but it was still a very exciting place to be.
On the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Rick decided it was time I drove the '41. I had not gotten my licence, and I was put in the drivers seat, in spite of numerous licenced drivers. I did pretty good until I downshifted to 2nd. Never let out the clutch in 2nd at 40mph ! Rick just laughed and said 'well, you're learning'.
My mother gave Rick room and meals for a while, and he was 'one of the family'. Soon, we were all traveling around the country, and doing the things Baby Boomers did back then. I went to San Francisco a few months. I lost track of Rick, but did connect when we were in the same place.
The last time I saw Rick, he was living in Des Moines, and on the road [imagine that....], processing insurance claims. He still had that whimsical nature and laugh.
I cannot recall all the times we shared here. He was a true friend always. I am sure many from Holy Ghost had a genuine connect with Rick. His whimsical and fun nature was infectious.
RIP Buddy.
Joanne Campbell (Endorf)
Rick Fincel. I will never forget him.
He and I spent hours on the phone. He was the very first boy to kiss me. I remember that day like it was yesterday. For some unknown reason, my Mom let me go to Rick's house on the river and after we ate Rick asked if I wanted to go for a ride in his flatbottom boat. I said, "of course" and off we went, he was sitting in the back steering the outboard and I was in the front facing backwards. All of a sudden he shut off the engine and asked me to sit in the back with him- and he kissed me. Oh, I thought I was going to swoon !!!Earlier that day we also water skiied on the river, just he and I-- no spotter--yikes!
When I moved to Bettendorf in the summer after 9th grade Rick and I wrote letters for a long time and visited each other as often as we could. I gave him back the ring after a while ( a faux ruby go-steady ring) and we were both sad. We were too young and it was too difficult to keep the relationship going.
The last time I Rick saw was sometime in the 80's. I think Carol Hansen (Fink) told him where I worked and he called me there and said he was in town and wanted to see me. I told him I would love to see him and he stopped and we had a nice chat . I think he was divorced at the time, but , Of course, I was happily married. Always thought some day I would see him again.
I was saddened to learn of his death.
Guess I will see him in another life.
RIP,Rick....
Tom Klinge
Rick was an immediate friend to everyone. Not only his classmates, but the teachers, Nuns and Priests.
He always seemed to be there to smooth things over when any of us got into trouble as he had the Nuns wrapped around his finger.
He and I "clicked". Mostly in 8th grade.
He got me a gig with the First Friday Singers when he convinced the singing Nun that my voice was deep enough to sing in that choir.
I stayed overnight a few times at his parents home by John Deere. We would take out his boat, going up and down the river, doing some fishing and just enjoying nauture. We had some good talks, laying out under the stars overnight.
Until he introduced me to it, I had no idea what it was like to swim in the rock quarry.
We did a science project together. A demonstration of how the lungs worked. We donated the poject to the school and over the years I wanted to claim it. Now that Rick is gone, I wish I had it as a memorial to him.
I never saw Rick after 8th grade.
He always made me feel important.
Linda Healy (Mellon)
Rick, I remember as being nice to everyone. He was outgoing and full of fun and mischief. Also sadly missed. but will be remembered by all.