Rick was killed on Saturday, October 15, 1977 in his senior year at Sahuaro when his truck flipped over. He was the starting quarterback for the Cougars. The entire school went into shock the following Monday when word spread about the accident. I remember Rick from grade school when we went to Schumaker Elementary School. We were friends and often hung out in the wash by his house. I will never forget the time we decided to throw dirt clods at passing cars and duck under the bridge out of sight. It seemed like good fun, until we heard brakes squeal and car doors open. Man, we never ran so fast. But the men from the car ran faster, and dragged us back to Ricky's mom, who scolded us and made us realize how dangerous our plan really was. Rick had a magnetic personality and was a shining star at Sahuaro, and he touched many of our lives during his short time with us. Rest in peace, Rick.
This is the first class mate that has died and it has been (40 years 15 October 2017) that Rick has been gone and the list has grown steadily more each year.
Does someone have pics of the classmates that have passed on, we may have fuzzy vision of who they are and a picture may help us focus on who they where next to there name.
Rick was a great friend to me. I was not a christian in High School, but Rick was. He invited me to FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) many times and I never went. He lived out his faith and everyone knew it. Rick and I had both received athletic scholarships to play football at the University of New Mexico. When he died our senior year it changed our team, and our senior class.
I thought of Rick many times as a freshman in college and how things would be different with him there. His weekly committment to God finally had an impact on me my sophomore year when I committed my life to Christ and finally realized how much that lifestyle meant to Rick. I shared his life with many other football players in college; How he was the fastest white guy I had ever met, and his commitment to God in High School. Fast forward twenty years and I have a family living in San Diego working as the chaplain for the San Diego Padres. Our 6th child dies in our home of asphyxiation, and our world, like Rick's family, is forever altered. I could not stop thinking of Rick and his family because that was my only real reference to the death of a young person that was close to me. I was not a humble young man in high school. Rick was. I wanted to help others to remember him for who he truly was. I never understood why Rick had to die. Yet like my son, he had a dramatic impact on my life. And so maybe that is the reason we all live, namely to have an impact on others. Rick Botkin has had a great impact on me and I want to honor him these 40 years later! Jake (Roddy) Simpson
I knew Rick from playing little league baseball. Rick and I, and both of our older brothers were on the same team. He was a pretty good pitcher, as well as a fine quarterback. I was always pretty high strung, but Rick had a great natural calmness and leadership under pressure that was truly admirable. The kind of guy you just wanted on your team.
I've written a song for our reunion, which I hope I get the chance to perform. The bridge of the song has a tribute to Rick, and to all of our departed:
Gordon (Chip) Crawford
Rick was killed on Saturday, October 15, 1977 in his senior year at Sahuaro when his truck flipped over. He was the starting quarterback for the Cougars. The entire school went into shock the following Monday when word spread about the accident. I remember Rick from grade school when we went to Schumaker Elementary School. We were friends and often hung out in the wash by his house. I will never forget the time we decided to throw dirt clods at passing cars and duck under the bridge out of sight. It seemed like good fun, until we heard brakes squeal and car doors open. Man, we never ran so fast. But the men from the car ran faster, and dragged us back to Ricky's mom, who scolded us and made us realize how dangerous our plan really was. Rick had a magnetic personality and was a shining star at Sahuaro, and he touched many of our lives during his short time with us. Rest in peace, Rick.
Kevin Nutt
This is the first class mate that has died and it has been (40 years 15 October 2017) that Rick has been gone and the list has grown steadily more each year.
Does someone have pics of the classmates that have passed on, we may have fuzzy vision of who they are and a picture may help us focus on who they where next to there name.
Jacob Simpson
Rick was a great friend to me. I was not a christian in High School, but Rick was. He invited me to FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) many times and I never went. He lived out his faith and everyone knew it. Rick and I had both received athletic scholarships to play football at the University of New Mexico. When he died our senior year it changed our team, and our senior class.
I thought of Rick many times as a freshman in college and how things would be different with him there. His weekly committment to God finally had an impact on me my sophomore year when I committed my life to Christ and finally realized how much that lifestyle meant to Rick. I shared his life with many other football players in college; How he was the fastest white guy I had ever met, and his commitment to God in High School. Fast forward twenty years and I have a family living in San Diego working as the chaplain for the San Diego Padres. Our 6th child dies in our home of asphyxiation, and our world, like Rick's family, is forever altered. I could not stop thinking of Rick and his family because that was my only real reference to the death of a young person that was close to me. I was not a humble young man in high school. Rick was. I wanted to help others to remember him for who he truly was. I never understood why Rick had to die. Yet like my son, he had a dramatic impact on my life. And so maybe that is the reason we all live, namely to have an impact on others. Rick Botkin has had a great impact on me and I want to honor him these 40 years later! Jake (Roddy) Simpson
Alexander Baker
I knew Rick from playing little league baseball. Rick and I, and both of our older brothers were on the same team. He was a pretty good pitcher, as well as a fine quarterback. I was always pretty high strung, but Rick had a great natural calmness and leadership under pressure that was truly admirable. The kind of guy you just wanted on your team.
I've written a song for our reunion, which I hope I get the chance to perform. The bridge of the song has a tribute to Rick, and to all of our departed: