Rick Curtiss Pohlman

On January 10th, 2026, Rick Curtiss Pohlman died at the age of 73 years from complications related to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease—an illness that slowly, yet progressively, erased his memories and made life especially difficult to navigate on his own. Although he resided in Sarasota, he spent his last few years at a memory care community in Venice, Florida.

As no one’s life is lived in isolation, Rick’s journey was intertwined with the lives of others, particularly his closest family members. Judy Pohlman, his wife of 35 years, was his best friend and a loving, devoted caregiver. The day before Rick died, he managed to utter “I love you” as Judy was leaving the memory care center, despite his constant struggle to converse. Rick was the father of three children: Jessica Pohlman, Andrew Pohlman, and Taylor Pohlman. He was also a grandpa to Levi Pohlman, who lives in Springfield with his parents Clarissa and Andrew. Rick had one younger brother, Mark. Rick outlived both his parents, Mary (Skip) Pohlman and Edward Pohlman, who died decades before him: Skip in 1985 and Ed in 1989.

One metaphor that is befitting to Rick’s life is the notion of a tapestry; sturdy cloth created over time with a variety of threads that share a common stitch: his adventurous spirit. This character trait emerged in just about everything Rick took on: flying an ultralight airplane; playing in a rock-n-roll band; spearfishing in the ocean; skiing, whether in lakes or on mountains; and leading businesses through the early adoption of technology. Bottom line: Rick approached his interests with smarts, spirit, and tenacity.

Case in point: Rick developed a lifelong passion for flying as a young boy growing up on air force bases. He officially caught the “flying bug” while living on a base in Fairbanks, Alaska—those were some long, cold winters and building control-line airplanes in the basement with his brother was a great way to pass the time and engage his curious mind. As Rick got older, the planes he built followed suit: they got bigger and more elaborate. He found enjoyment and pride in building and flying radio-control (RC) airplanes, some with 7–8-foot wingspans powered by multi-cylinder gas engines. It is no wonder that he made his way to two “RC Top Gun” conventions in Florida with his brother, Mark, where they marveled at the size and sophistication of jet-powered RC planes flown by expert pilots. Although Rick’s main flying interests were grounded, he spread his wings and learned to fly a Cessna and various ultralight airplanes.

Rick enjoyed tinkering with engines, particularly when those engines propelled objects that moved fast—like motorcycles. Despite his mother’s strong objections, as her own father was killed on a motorcycle, he bought one after he was living on his own. Rick owned many different motorcycles over his lifetime, beginning with a Honda 70, then a Kawasaki 1000, various Hondas, an Indian, and eventually settling on Harley Davidson. At one point, he wanted to share his enthusiasm for motorcycles with Judy, thinking she would be the perfect riding partner. So, unbeknownst to her, Rick bought one and brought it home. As one may imagine, she was quite surprised, to say the least, posing this question: “When have I ever given you any indication that I wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle?” Needless to say, he returned it—yet that didn’t dampen his spirit for sharing his passion for motorcycles with other folks, particularly his son Andrew when he was old enough to learn to ride.

Music was another passion that captured Rick’s attention early on; he played trombone and baritone in a high school concert band, which eventually led him to the bass guitar. While in college, he was the bass guitarist for several different bands; but one partnership struck a chord while living in Columbia, Missouri— Firehouse. He loved playing with those rock-n-rollers! Sometimes, after gigs, Rick and his younger brother Mark enjoyed shots of Southern Comfort with a Pepsi chaser while loading and hauling equipment those days! As time marched on, music continued to play an important role in his life, even as his brain struggled with the ongoing impact of Alzheimer's. Towards the end, Rick found solace in playing his guitars, particularly with Andy, who was a friend and neighbor. Without a doubt, music resonated with Rick.

Rick was an athletic guy who enjoyed a variety of sports: baseball, softball, skiing, fishing, and golf. As a young boy, Ed and Skip referred to him as “ace,” given that he was a darn good baseball catcher. Eventually, baseball morphed into softball— although he had quite an arm for softball, too. While playing for the “Diamond Dogs,” Rick threw the softball with precision accuracy and “smoking” strength, right into Mark’s first base glove. By the end of those games, Mark’s hand was throbbing, which prompted this secret wish: a different shortstop!

Skiing, whether on water or land, was another sport that Rick enjoyed as a younger man. He was a skilled slalom water-skier, who skimmed across the water at Lake of the Ozark with ease. He got a kick out of performing one particular trick: as the boat would wiz by, he would drop the rope at just the perfect time and ski right up onto the dock! Wow. On ski slopes, Rick enjoyed downhill skiing: In fact, he wanted to take Judy to a ski resort on their honeymoon. Judy agreed and bravely took lessons, even attempting a “green” slope, despite being quite scared at the very thought of making her way down. Their skiing adventure was short-lived that day, as Judy retreated to the resort for drinks while Rick traversed more advanced ski runs. Afterwards, they met up at the resort for celebratory drinks, fun, and frolic. Cheers!

Some say that man’s favorite sport is fishing; for Rick, fishing was a favorite pastime as he soaked in the solitude of being on the water—a nice respite. Yet, being on top of the water in his boat didn’t quite fulfill his “need for speed,” so to speak. He learned how to scuba dive, which eventually led him to the sport of spearfishing using a speargun. He spent significant time under ocean waters, looking for grouper, which just happened to be his favorite fish to eat. Fortunately, the waters around Sarasota are populated with grouper, so living there was a win-win.

Like many men of his generation, work was a primary focus; and Rick, who was an avid learner, fell squarely in that camp. After he finished high school, he attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, eventually graduating from the University of Missouri, Rolla. His coursework varied, ranging from math to engineering, and finally to psychology. Turns out, all three of those interests came in handy for his work as a manufacturing and operations management professional. His first job was with Square D Company, where he was the first to bring personal computers to employee desks. He was a forward-thinker with multiple certifications, which prompted many promotions and awards. Yet, he was a hands-on leader with a personal touch who valued connection with his employees. Sometimes, when Rick’s promotions promoted different companies, dedicated workers would follow him—favoring person over company. All in all, he embodied a can-do philosophy of life, working AND playing hard. For Rick, this motto can be summed up in three words “Get ‘er done,” which close family and friends frequently heard during conversations with him.

In the end, all lives are a tapestry in progress, embroidered with multiple threads that twist and turn to add to the richness of the whole. Rick lived his life as he saw fit. Alzheimer’s disease may have shortened his life, but he will be remembered as someone who lived life to the fullest.

Rick’s family would like to express gratitude for the outstanding care he received while at Banyan Residences in Venice, Florida. In lieu of flowers, monetary donations to this organization would be appreciated.