In Memory

Richard Ramirez

Rick Ramirez, 47, of Orion, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 1999, near Dixon, Ill., as the result of an automobile accident.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Heritage Wesleyan Church in Rock Island. Burial will be at Western Township Cemetery, Orion. The visitation will be Thursday 6 to 8 p.m. at Kirk, Huggins and Esterdahl Funeral Home in Orion. Memorials may be made to his children's educational fund.

Richard D. was born Nov. 29, 1951, in Moline, the son of Greg and Martha Martel Ramirez. He received his masters degree from the University of Illinois. He married Cori A. Kent June 1, 1984, in Rock Island.

He was the head wrestling coach and also a teacher at Sedalia, Mo. While in high school he became the school's first double state Medal Winner in wrestling by placing sixth in 1968 and second in 1969. He went on to have an outstanding wrestling career at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo.

Currently he taught special education at UTHS since 1973. Rick also was the coach for the girls' softball, basketball and wrestling team. He was the assistant soccer coach and freshman football coach. While at UTHS, he was also the head wrestling coach for Alleman High School in Rock Island and was an umpire at Northeast Park in East Moline.

Rick was a member of the Heritage Wesleyan Church in Rock Island.

He was an avid lover of German Shepherd dogs and he bred and trained these dogs for show.
Survivors include his wife, Cori; a daughter, Raika Ramirez, Orion; a son, Austin Ramirez, Orion; sisters and brothers-in-law, Carol Parker (Roger), East Moline, and Isabell Hurst (Michael), Moline; brothers, Greg Ramirez (Patti), Colona, and Tom Ramirez (Debbie), Colona; his grandmother, Phyllis Martel, East Moline; and several nieces and nephews.