Rickie Dean Smith of Council Grove, Kansas, passed away June 15, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.
He was born in Topeka, Kansas, on August 2, 1955, to Dean and Donna (Gifford) Smith. He graduated from Council Grove High School in 1973. Rick worked at many different jobs throughout the years, with his last job at IBP/Tyson in Emporia, Kansas. For anyone that knew Rick, they would know his one great passion in life was fishing. For a period of time, he ran a small guide business taking people fishing in the local area and was also interviewed by Betty Lou Pardue from WIBW TV, which he was very proud of. Rick knew the local area lakes and could tell you stats and what type of fish was prominently caught at each lake. He could talk your ear off about lures, bait, boats and what fish were biting when and where.
Rick also had a love and passion for animals. He always had a cat in his hand and the dogs knew the sound of his truck before he pulled in the drive. Spring was one of his favorite times; as there was always some kind of baby animal around. From kittens to foals, calves and the baby goats that somehow showed up over the last few years. If it was an animal, he loved it. If someone needed a "babysitter" for their 4 legged kid, Rick was the one to call. He took great pride in that job.
Rick was also a very proud uncle. He loved his nieces and nephews with all his heart. He enjoyed buying each of them a special “prize” whether it was a box of animal crackers or something he knew they would enjoy. The grin on Rick’s face and the excitement in his eyes was a true testimony on how much he loved them. He always enjoyed seeing them happy.
Rick is survived his parents, Dean and Donna Smith of Council Grove; sister Cathy (Smith) Pritchard and husband John of Dunlap; sister Tricia Smith-Hickey and husband Mark and son Logan of Council Grove; niece’s; Rinda (Pritchard) Stecher and husband Tony and children Jackson and Scarlett of Council Grove; Jenna (Pritchard) Vathauer and husband Daniel and children Jacob, Jaci Kay and Arlo of Barnes, Kansas; and Jessie Pritchard and children Ryker and Charlee Rose of Thompson Station, Tenn.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the What’s in Outdoors Fund, in care of Sawyer Funeral Home, PO Box 273, Council Grove, KS. 66846. This fund has been established to host a Family Fish Camp in the Spring of 2021 at the Marina Cove. The camp will teach youth and their families the basics of fishing.
Rick's ashes will be buried at the cemetery in Silver Lake, Kansas, near his Grandpa and Grandma Smith. A celebration of Rick's life will be held at a later time this year.