Garrett Rickman

Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,

At ‘em boys, give’er the gun!

Down we dive spouting our flame from under

Off with one, hell-uv-a roar!

We live in flame Or go down in flame. BOY!

Nothing’ll stop the Army Air Corps!

CLEAR! CLEAR! CONTACT! CONTACT! Grrrrr………rrrr! ZOOM! CORPS! CORPS!

The Official Army Air Corps March by Robert Crawford

Born March 29,1925, our dad, Garrett Rickman, grew up with a zest for poetry, nature, singing, and adventure. He enjoyed music, particularly Big Band, sports of all kinds, reading, travel, and had a life-long love of learning, especially the sciences.

An avid sports fan, Dad played a variety of sports throughout his life. In college, his athleticism led him to play for the Upper Iowa College football team. Seeing that he was also a talented baseball player, his coach encouraged him to try out for the pros. After playing for a few weeks, he realized that he would probably end up being a sub, so he concluded it was better to finish college.

Good thing, because that is where he met the love of his life, Charlotte - flirting with her on the college campus. After courting for two years, they married in 1955. More than a year later they welcomed their first daughter, Renee, followed by their second daughter Michele, two years later.

With dad’s love for nature, it is no wonder that he snatched the opportunity to work as a Park Naturalist at Sequoia National Park. Every summer and many winter weekends, from 1961 – 1969, Dad relished interacting with park visitors, leading hikes, and teaching folks about nature and the local flora and fauna. He and another Naturalist wrote most of the songs enjoyed at the Kings Canyon campfire programs.

In the off-season, he was an enthusiastic and respected teacher of biology, chemistry, and physics at Roosevelt High School. His enthusiasm for teaching, combined with his love of sports, led him to coach Roosevelt’s golf team. Saturday mornings, when the doves were cooing, you would often find dad with mom or one of us golfing at a local golf course.

Dad thrived on enriching young minds, and even after forty-five years of teaching, he continued to inspire 1000s as a volunteer docent at Chafee Zoo. His vast knowledge and whimsical way of teaching had children enthralled with the antics of various animals.

In many ways, our dad was like thousands of World War II Veterans who came home from the war and went on with their lives. As children, the most we knew of our dad’s military days were his chuckles about the comic strip Beetle Bailey and his occasional comments while watching war movies.

During the past 15 years, we learned of First Lieutenant, Garrett Rickman’s, amazing heroic life as a Bombardier Gunner for the 490th Bomber Group. The Mighty 8th Army Air Corps were stationed near Eye, England. Dad was entrusted with one of our nation's most closely guarded military secrets, the famous Norden bombsight. He flew 49 missions primarily over Germany and France, including D-Day. Among the many medals and honors he received was the purple heart after receiving shrapnel wounds. He said his B-17 Flying Fortress was so riddled with holes, he and his crew were grateful to make it back to base alive. Dad loved to fly and in 2014 was honored to fly on a replica of the Memphis Belle. That same year, he was surprised and honored to participate in the Central Valley Honor Flight to Washington D.C. with other WWII veterans.

For more than sixty years, dad was actively involved in many Fraternal Organizations. First joining the Free Masons in Missouri Valley, Iowa, in 1964. Later, he became a member of the Fresno Scottish Rite, attaining the 32nd degree. He, along with mom, served as board members for Fresno-Clovis Assembly, Rainbow for Girls. In 1976, he proudly served as Worthy Patron of La Sierra Chapter, Eastern Star.

His love of sports continued through his retirement years as he and mom joined the Red Wave, supporting the Fresno State Bulldogs. While cheering on the football, basketball, and women’s softball teams, not only at home games but also all over the U.S., they developed many precious friendships with fellow fans.

Dad’s love of nature and poetry never ceased. He had so many poems memorized that whenever one of the grandkids were learning one, he was able to prompt them and then share a few more, including My Captain, My Captain, My Shadow, and The Cremation of Sam McGee. It was known to many that the simplest pleasures in life brought dad great joy. We often caught him thumbing through books, page by page or sitting in the garden enjoying the song of the birds and watching them flutter in and out to the bird feeders.

Dad died just as the Easter morning sun began peeking through the darkness, a grace filled reminder of the resurrection.

Mentor, Teacher, Storyteller, Poet, Adventurer, Brother in Arms, and beloved husband, dad and grandpa. We love you with all our hearts.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.boicefuneralhome.com for the Rickman family.