Richard Seltzer

Richard Alan Seltzer Beloved husband, son, father, grandfather, mentor and friend, Richard Alan Seltzer, passed away on January 12, 2011, after a more than two-year courageous battle with Amyloidosis. Ricky, as he liked to be called, was a true warrior both in his personal and professional life with a true passionate heart filled with love. Personally, Ricky wanted nothing more than spreading and sharing love with his family and friends. He was a lifelong eclectic spiritual seeker. His favorite teachers were Thich Nhat Hanh, Sri Ramanah Maharshi, Eckhart Tolle, The Dalai Lama, and J. Krishnamurti, to name only a few. One of his favorite sayings, from Vietnamese Zen Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh, was "Love is a verb." He cherished his times with his family, camping trips to the Sierras, and hiking to the top of a mountain where he would stand, a huge grin on his face, his arms raised in triumph. Professionally, Ricky was a plaintiff's trial attorney for over 40 years trying mainly wrongful death cases and earning numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements in cases involving insurance bad faith, employment, product liability cases against auto manufacturers, as well as wrongful death cases. In the mid-1980s, when insurance carriers were offering only $50,000.00 for the death of a minor - because children cost money to raise and did not earn money - Ricky got a seven-figure verdict in Contra Costa County for the death of an 18-year-old. Thereafter, he built his reputation on trying wrongful death cases based purely on noneconomic damages, such as loss of care, comfort, society. He believed that the greatest loss in life was the loss of a family member or loved one, regardless of their earning capacity, and he lived his life that way. Ricky is survived by his mother Amy Seltzer; wife of 30 years Janet Seltzer; children Andrew, Wendy, Katie and Joey; daughter-in-law Lari Seltzer, sons- in-law Howard Jeruchimowitz and Eric Baer; grandchildren Madison, Georgia, Caylie and Natalie; and brothers, Bill and Jim Seltzer. Ricky was born in Chicago on July 19, 1944, to Fred and Amy Seltzer. He grew up in Glencoe, Illinois, attended The University of Iowa and earned his JD at Northwestern University School of Law graduating summa cum laude. All are invited to remember Ricky at a memorial service on January 24, 2011 at 2 p.m. at the Northbrae Community Church, located at 941 The Alameda, in Berkeley, California. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making donations to the Seva Foundation, www.seva,org, a foundation that for more than 30 years has served people around the world who are struggling for health, cultural survival and sustainable communities.