Violet Mae (Meyers) Rickman, 80, passed away Thursday, November 18, 2021, after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel in West Des Moines with a visitation from 1 p.m. until service time at McLaren’s. Burial will be at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines.
Violet was born July 24, 1941 in Coon Rapids, IA to Carl and Irene (Fick) Meyers. She graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1959, as valedictorian of her class. In the fall of 1959, she moved to Des Moines and attended AIB, graduating with honors in 1960 with an Advanced Secretarial Degree. Violet immediately began working for Look Magazine as secretary to the Auditor. On May 17, 1964 she married Jack Rickman at St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. She quit working at the end of 1972 to accompany her husband as he attended nine months of helicopter training for the National Guard, and lived in Texas and Alabama during that time.
They were blessed with two children, Kevin and Kimberly. Once the children were in school all day, she resumed working in 1979 doing Data Entry in the home for Meredith Corp. The Home Clerical Dept. changed company names several times and eventually was part of EDS Corp, from which she retired in 2004. Working at home allowed Violet to be involved in girl scouts, boy scouts, band and sports activities of their children. Family meant everything to her. During retirement she enjoyed walking, scrapbooking, reading, tending to her plants, sewing, watching NFL, and traveling. Her primary interest was always her grandchildren and spending time with them.
Violet is survived by her son, Kevin (Sonia) Rickman of Brownville, NY; daughter, Kimberly (John) Walby of West Des Moines; four grandchildren, Camden and Riley Rickman, Alaina and Ashlyn Walby; sister, Jean Borkowski of Manning, and her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; parents; in-laws, Jess and Clara Rickman; brother, Harley Fick, brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Patricia Meyers; and brother-in-law, Merlin Borkowski.
Memorial contributions may be directed to MercyOne Hospice in Johnston.
