August John "Jack" Ricker

1933 - 2010

August John "Jack Ricker
August John "Jack" Ricker was born on October 10, 1933 in Wheeling, West Virginia to August Joseph and Clara Ricker. Jack was the oldest of 10 children. He attended elementary and middle school at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Elm Grove, West Virginia. Jack graduated in 1951 from Central Catholic High School in Wheeling.
After high school, he joined the Army and serves stateside at Fort Bliss and Fort Hood, Texas in the 35th Engineer Construction Group. Jack married his high school sweetheart, Frances V. Winchester in April of 1955. He was discharged from t he Army later that year and moved to California.
Jack attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and graduated in 1958 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He started work with Bell Labs at Vandenberg AFB in 1959 as the Guidance Console Operator on the first Titan Missile Launch from Vandenberg. During his time at Vandenberg, Jack was involved int he guidance of over 300 launches. In 1984, he was named Director for AT&T VAFB Laboratories. As the director, Jack was instrumental in establishing the Special Projects Groups for AT&T Technologies in Santa Maria. After 30 years of service, Jack retired from AT&T Technologies in 1989.
Jack loved to hunt and fish. He was also an avid gardener and enjoyed a good round of golf with friends. When his children were younger Jack was a Scoutmaster for the boy Scouts in Santa Maria. He was also a member of the Santa Maria Elks Lodge for many years. In Jack's later years, a great day for him was barbecuing on his patio at his Suey Creek Canyon home with his family gathered around him.
Jack succumbed to Alzheimer's disease on Thursday, November, 2010. He is preceded in death by Frances, his wife of over 41 years, both of his parents, and his brother James Ricker. He is survived by four sisters, four brothers, and his five children: John J. Ricker of Arroyo Grande, Virginia A. Rush of Arroyo Grande, Francis (Paco) Ricker of California Valley, Thomas M. Ricker of California Valley and Catherine Mary Ricker-De Mello of Santa Maria. Jack also had 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
A Rosary will be held in Jack's memory at 7:00PM on Tuesday, November 9th at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary. Visitation will be prior to the Rosary from 5:00PM to 7:00PM. The funeral Mass will be at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Nipomo at 11:00AM on Wednesday, November 10th. In lieu of flowers a donation in his name may be made to Marian Hospice of Santa Maria.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory and Memory Gardens.

Dudley-Hoffman
Mortuary & Crematory
(805) 922-8463
www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com