Henry R. Ricks

Henry (Callis) Ricks was born January 9, 1939, in Freeman, Virginia. He was the son of the late Hardy Russell Callis and Ada Ricks. He resided with his daughter and son-in-law.
In 1946, Henry relocated from Holland, Virginia, to Hackensack, New Jersey. While living in NJ, he attended and graduated from Broadway Elementary School and the Vocational and Technical High School. He graduated in 1957 with a commercial cooking concentration. Henry enlisted in the United States Army on August 27, 1957, in Newark, NJ. He received training for the MOS 55 C, as a US Army Ammunition Renovation Specialist.
Henry met his wife, Van Patricia Bassett, and they united in marriage in June of 1961. In the same year, he was called back to military service for an assignment in France. After 9 months of service, he was again honorably discharged in 1962. Henry and Pat had three children. They raised their two oldest children, Adriene and Wanda, in Hackensack, NJ. They purchased their Paterson, NJ home in 1972, where their youngest daughter, Kim, was born. In 2019, he relocated from Paterson, NJ, to Temple Hills, MD.
Henry was employed as a Printing Press Operator at American Book Company in Saddle Brook, NJ.
He was also a Malt Production Technician at Malt Products Corporation in Maywood, NJ, for many years. He retired from Malt Products in 2004 due to illness.
Henry was a member of Bethel Church of God in Christ Hackensack for many years. He became a Deacon under the leadership of Elder Redell Langston. He also sang in the Men's Choir.
He peacefully transitioned in his home in Temple Hills, MD on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Henry's parents, Hardy Russell Callis and Ada Ricks, his wife, Van P. Ricks, his brothers, Richard White, John Brown, and William Brown, his sister, Margarite Johnson, his brothers-in-law, Lemard Callis, Douglas Hicks, Willie Bassett, Ronald Bassett, and Alvin Lucas, his nephew, Calvin White, his son-in-law, Calvin Jewett, and his granddaughter, Kewanna Ricks, all preceded him in death.
He leaves to cherish on this earth, his beloved three daughters, Adriene D. Samuel (Reginald) of MD, Wanda D. Jewett and Kimberly K. Ricks of NJ, one grandson, Jah'mir Jewett of NJ, three great grandchildren, Dayveonta Bundick of Michigan, Dayanara Bundick, and Keivory Gee of NJ; his brothers, Lenwood White of VA, James Brown and Ailor (Willie Mae)Brown of MD, his sisters, Lillian Neal and Carrie White of Maryland, his sisters-in-law, Martha White of NJ and Berthenia Callis and Carol Lucas of VA, and his nieces, Maureen Carter (Darek) of DE and Gail White (Myron) of NJ. He is also survived by a host of other beloved family members and friends.