Carl Morley Ricard

Carl Morley Joseph Ricard passed away December 5, 2017 in Paso Robles, CA. He was born the sixth child and only male to parents Carl F. Ricard and Kathleen J. Ricard (nee Morley) in Detroit, MI, on October 2, 1937. He graduated from St. Simon High School in Ludington, Michigan in 1955, where he made many lifelong friends. He was the senior class of 1955’s class president. He received an Associate of Arts degree from Santa Rosa Community College in Santa Rosa, CA in 1972. He attended the following colleges for shorter periods of time: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA; Jackson Baptist Bible College, Honolulu, HI; Cuesta Community College, San Luis Obispo, CA; and U.C.S.B., Santa Barbara, CA (extension program for 25+ years). He served his country proudly twice: the U.S. Navy (four years) in San Francisco, CA and in Pearl Harbor, HI in the late 1950s following his Navy active duty. He served in the active Navy Reserves for two years in the 1960s. In the 1980s he served in the U.S. Army’s California National Guard (three years) at Camp San Luis Obispo, CA with some time spent in the Republic of South Korea and Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO. His total time spend in service was nine years. He retired from Atascadero State Hospital, Atascadero, CA as a nursing coordinator after 33 ½ years with the State of California. His state service included 14 years at Sonoma State Hospital, in Glen Ellen, CA as a unit supervisor. He always stated his most rewarding employment was working with deaf and hearing impaired teenagers. He was both a licensed psychiatric technician and licensed vocational nurse. In retirement, he used both of his nursing licenses working in local San Luis Obispo County healthcare facilities. He performed volunteer service in the Meals on Wheels program for nine years in Paso Robles, CA. he worked for several years as a poll worker in local elections. He was active in the Retired Public Employee Association (R.P.E.A.) serving as local chapter president and assistant area director for multiple terms. During his son’s youth he was involved with San Luis Obispo’s Cub Scouts Program. He greatly enjoyed cross-country travels, having visited all fifty states as an adult. He also visited Asia and Europe. His favorite places to travel to were northern and upper Michigan, Iceland, and San Luis Obispo County’s Carriso Plains. He inherited his love of travel from his father. He placed great value on family. He moved to San Luis Obispo County in 1974, living mostly in North County. He greatly enjoyed movies and country-western music. His favorite movies of all time were “Seven Years in Tibet” and “Starman”. He followed and subscribed to a liberal Judeo-Christian set of ethics; he greatly admired the 14th Dalai Lama. He was a life-long liberal democrat. He was predeceased by his parents Carl F. and Kathleen J Ricard; his older sisters, Mary Katherine McInnish, Sally Ricard, and Carol-Sue Morgandollar plus infant sisters Jacqueline and Judy; as well as several nieces and nephews. He is survived by his sister Madeline J. Brockhaus of Santa Maria, CA; beloved stepdaughters, Yvonne Ricard-Wise (Craig) of Paso Robles, CA, and Paula McCambridge of Atascadero, CA. Also surviving is his long-term-estranged son W. Eric of Sonoma, CA as well as several fantastic grandchildren. Surviving also is the mother (Alice) of his children whom he wed in 1973. He ended both of his marriages by divorce. Funeral services will be held at Los Osos Valley Memorial Park and Mortuary on Monday, December 11, 2017. There will be a visitation at 1PM and a chapel service at 2PM in the mortuary, and a graveside service at 3PM in the memorial park. The family will be holding a private funeral mass at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church at a later date.