David Louis Ricke

How does one sum up an entire life‘s experience into a few paragraphs? Dave Ricke was an absolute legend. He was a loving husband, amazing father, loyal friend, and faithful servant. David was fiercely loved by his family and community and he will be missed.

David Louis Ricke was born and raised in Greensburg, Indiana in 1942. He developed a deep love of farming and animals throughout his childhood that extended for his lifetime. David attended Purdue University where he studied agriculture and played football. Upon graduation, David served in the US Army in Germany and Vietnam, a season of his life he loved to refer to as keeping America free for democracy. It is in this service and sacrifice that David earned a Purple Heart.

Upon his return, David met the love of his life, Susan Spengeman Ricke. What followed was a lifetime of love and laughter spanning 58 years. Together, they had four daughters, Stephanie, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Emily. David’s legacy lives on in the ways they reflect his character.

It would be remiss to note that while David resided in Decatur County, much of his heart belonged to Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Dave met Chuck Drummond as a young boy through his dad‘s farm business. What ensued was a lifetime of shenanigans that weirdly often included fire.

The Drummond boys — Todd, Tim, and Ladd — were like sons to him, and he loved them as his own, taking great joy in bringing the Ricke and Drummond families together as one.

While David’s career began on his family farm, later in life he and Susie started a successful environment consulting business. He was fond to describing his career as a “world renowned chicken sh*# expert”. David received many awards in his professional life, culminating with his induction into the Brookside Laboratory Hall of Fame.

Raising four girls seemed to come easy to him. David attended their events, endured endless band, cheer, and dance practices at home and made sure his girls knew he could be counted on. While at times he excelled at discipline, David also had a softer side that provided unwavering love and invaluable wisdom.

David Ricke had a quiet strength in his foundation of faith in God. He was raised in the Catholic faith and joined the Greensburg United Methodist Church later in life. He was a staple over the years leading the Administrative Council and helping to establish a thriving senior high ministry. David absolutely loved to cook and shared his gifts for large events, including the Emmaus Walk, fundraising events, the Optimist booth at the fair, the YMCA, and many more. You could often find him by his signature beloved cooker smoking pulled pork for BBQ!

David Ricke was just generally a person you wanted to be around. He was a master storyteller, occasionally fun at social gatherings (but at times just smiling on the inside), and a loyal supporter of those he loved. David was, above all, a man who showed up-for his family, for his community, and for anyone who needed some words of wisdom or a good story to inspire a chuckle, even if you had already heard it several times. That is how he will be remembered, and that is how he will be missed by all who loved him.

David is survived by his wife, Susie Ricke, and his four daughters: Stephanie Ricke, Elizabeth (Kevin) Marshall, Sarah (Seth) Hellmich, and Emily (Franklin) Nowlin. His grandchildren include Grayson and Jonah Hellmich, Cooper Marshall, DaLaney, Sydney, Tierney, Nora, Addie, Brantley (Erin) Nowlin, and great grandson Tommy Nowlin. David also had a small host of loving extended family. David was preceded in death by his parents Louis and Lois Ricke, and his sister Susan Wallace.

In keeping with David’s (very strong) wishes, there will not be a funeral service. Instead, we will be having a big party to celebrate his life and legacy the evening of November 7th at the Fairgrounds Community Building. If you would like to honor David’s memory, please direct contributions to the United Methodist Church or the building fund for the new Animal Shelter in care of the Greensburg & Decatur Animal Shelter.