| Graduation Year | Faculty |
| Date of Passing | Feb 01, 2015 |
| About | Ingeborg Ricker, 83, of Bend, OR passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at St. Charles Medical Center after a short bout with cancer. Inge, as she was known to her friends, was born on July 17, 1931 in Tschesterg (former Yugoslavia), the daughter of Elisabeth and Georg Mesz. In 1941, after her country was invaded by the Nazis, Inge was forcibly separated from her parents and sister to attend a re-education camp in Southern Germany to ensure that her father, forced into the German Army as an officer, would complete his service. In 1944, Inge was reunited with her mother Elisabeth and sister Helga at a German controlled camp from which Inge and her mother were able to escape to the American front-line in Southern Germany in early 1945. Her father Georg was killed in 1945, and the family was stripped of all their possessions and citizenship. They were able to find safe refuge with the help of an American officer, Capt. Arthur W. Gunn, where Elisabeth was then employed by the US Army. Because of the loss of Georg, and their stateless person status, they decided to immigrate to the United States in 1952, under the sponsorship of Mr. Gunn. Inge, her mother and sister settled in Fort Collins, CO, where she attended Colorado State University. She met Phillip E. Ricker, a US Navy combat veteran, at the University and married him in 1953. Inge obtained her bachelor's degree at CSU and then moved with her husband to Pacific Palisades, CA, where their three sons were born. Inge then attended USC and received a Masters in Linguistics. She also worked as an instructor at USC. She then attended UCLA and obtained a Masters of Library Science with honors. During that time, she also assisted Phillip with his Doctoral degree in education at Colorado State College in Greeley, CO. After graduation, Inge worked as a research librarian while Phillip was a professor of education, both at UCLA. They then moved to Yakima, WA in 1968. Inge became the Eisenhower High School Librarian in 1970. From her time at UCLA, applying early computer technology, Inge liked to be at the forefront of information technology and introduced both an electronic book catalogue and online research. Inge had the gift of languages, as she spoke five languages including Russian, and sometimes taught them at Eisenhower. Inge loved to teach and assist the students with their research papers. While Inge was working full-time and raising three boys, it was discovered that her husband had Polycystic Kidney Disease. She became his nurse as she dialyzed him at home for the next 25 years -- while continuing to work full-time. She and her husband didn't let dialysis stop them from enjoying life and traveled extensively to Europe, Asia and the Americas with their children. She was also an active member of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, the Yakima Tennis Club, Washington Library Media Association, and the Washington State Teachers Association. She also enjoyed living close by her mother "Oma," who lived to the age of 96. Inge had a deep love for knowledge, travel, and culture. After her husband of forty-four years died in 1997, she retired in 1998 to start the next phase of her life. Inge focused her remaining years on seeing the rest of the world. Some highlights for her were the following: visiting all seven continents, including Antarctica; climbing Kilimanjaro, at age 70; and riding the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Because Inge's grandchildren were the lights of her life, she wanted to experience the world with them, and they accompanied her on trips to Southern Africa, Iceland, Europe, China, Tahiti, South America, New Zealand and Turkey. Inge moved to Bend, OR in 2012 to be near her son, daughter-in-law, and three youngest grandchildren. During her final years, when she wasn't traveling, she enjoyed exercising at the Athletic Club of Bend, attending Trinity Episcopal Church, and enjoying books with her friends in her book club. She is survived by her three sons: Phillip Ricker and wife Marion Shimoda of Aloha, OR; Brian Ricker and wife Cristin of Bend, OR; and Alan Ricker and wife Rosemarie of Vancouver, WA; six grandchildren: Melanie Heaton, Brock Ricker, Hannah Ricker, Chase Ricker, Dylan Ricker and Trevor Ricker; two great-grandchildren: BaiLee Heaton and Jaxon Heaton; and one sister: Helga Bonilla of Culver City, CA. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, February 7th, 2015 at Trinity Episcopal Church, located at 469 NW Wall Street, Bend OR. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Family Kitchen, 469 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97701. Arrangements are in the care of Trinity Episcopal Church. Yakima Herald-Republic - Feb 12, 2015 |
