Terry W. Rickman, 80, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, passed away peacefully March 17, 2023. He was a graduate of Excelsior Springs High School and a life-long resident of Excelsior Springs and the surrounding area. Terry was born October 25, 1942, to Waneta (Van Pelt) Rickman and William E. Rickman in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mr. Rickman worked at the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company and Orbseal in Excelsior Springs. He then worked at the Argosy Casino in Riverside where he finally retired. He had many hobbies throughout his life and loved cooking, baking, gardening, crafting, wood working, fishing, morel mushroom hunting, ping pong and bowling — executing a perfect 300 game on more than one occasion.
He was proceeded in death by his mother and father; sister, Linda Seal; brother, Tom Rickman; and second wife, Sue.
He is survived by his daughters, Lisa (Chuck) Thacker and Lori (Jimmy) Wilson; two stepdaughters, Lisa (Brent) Friday and Lora (James) Foster; and one stepson, Tim Donley. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Jordan Thacker, Lauren Pillot, Quintin Knee, Lindsey Knee, Sydney (Knee) Sydow, Brandon Carty, Samantha Friday, Austin Donley, Jeyden Donley; and five great-grandchildren, Ariah, Aidyn (Lauren Pillot) and Briella, Braysen, Kenzlee (Sydney Sydow).
Terry was an incredibly giving man and a true friend to so many. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Our Sincere Condolences
Dad,
I still can’t believe you are gone. My heart feels like it has a piece missing. Thanks for showing me how to bowl and play horseshoes when I was growing up. You were so kind and loving to so many people. You will be missed a great deal. I hope that you are bowling in the heavens, I know how much you loved it. All my love to you forever and ever.
Your Daughter,
Lori
I’m so sad upon hearing of Terry’s passing. We worked together for many years at Orbseal. A good man who will be missed! Rest in peace my friend.
Sheldon Linhart
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Terry last year through his daughter Lisa Thacker and granddaughter Lauren Pillot. My condolences to his family, may he rest in eternal peace.
Manny
It was a pleasure to work with Terry at the casino. He made friends easily and always had my back. I was his manager during his tenure at the Argosy.
Michael Raccuia
Lisa and Lori – I will always remember your father with kindness. He helped my then-husband get a job at the Pepsi Plant years ago. He brought me fired mushrooms when he found out I hadn’t had any for years. He was always good and kind to us and so fun to be around. Although it had been years since I have seen him I will always remember how good he smelled, I am a Lagerfeld fan to this day.
Carol L Hunter
To Terry’s daughters….. your dad was a couple of years ahead of me in high school and we dated for the time that I had left in high school. Afterward, I moved back to Kansas City and we lost track of each other. He was one of the nicest, most considerate and loving person that I knew.
I know it just has to be a great loss to you both and I’m sending my condolences and love to you.
Sherry Hudson Stansbery
To Terry’s Girls: Terry, your dad, was my first cousin. His dad and my mom were siblings, the youngest of 14 and very close. Terry and I never met in person, but chatted often by phone. I loved talking with him and impressed with his great kindness. I hadn’t heard in a few months and, by some premonition, looked up his obituary and was saddened to learn he had passed. He was a loving and good man and I pray he is dancing in Heaven. I know he missed that a lot. I will always be grateful that I was able to know him in our later years, if only for awhile. Peace to you all.
Shirley Hunter
I am sorry it has taken me so long to post this. But it is very hard for me to write this. Terry was a very dear friend of mine, my next door neighbor and became family. When my late husband Russell and I moved in Terry was very welcoming. Whenever we needed to go to the store or anyplace he would give us a ride. When I hurt my back and had to go to the hospital Terry was right there ready to take us. And he was willing to wait there at the hospital with us, but we told him no go on back home and go back to bed. He made us promise to call him. Then when Russell got sick and was in and out of the hospital so much Terry would give me a ride to Liberty hospital to see him whenever I could go visit him. But that was during the time of Covid, so the hospital was restricting visits and visitors.
Terry was a big part of my life every single day from the day I moved in until he passed away. And if I did not go over to his place, call, text or message him soon enough when I got home from work on the mornings then he would call, text, message me or even walk over knock on my door to make sure everything was alright and I was OK. Before my husband passed away, Russell asked Terry if he would keep an eye on me and look out for me. Make sure I was OK and not let anything happen to me. Terry promised he would and he did. When I started driving Terry insisted that I take his car and drive to work at night instead of walking. And if I did walk to work, in the morning when I got home I was in alot of trouble with him. When I would take Shania or Mary and walk to the bank or the thrift store, he would chew me out for not taking his car and driving. He HATED for me to walk anywhere and would preach all the dangers of walking that could happen to me. He was one of the kindest, most caring, compassionate men I have ever known. Or ever will know for that matter. He told me how he knew my older sister and her children and ex-husband 25 or 30 years earlier.
Mr. Terry Rickman is never going to be forgotten and will be greatly missed. Myself, my family and my close friends Tonya & Lu loved him dearly and will miss him the rest of our lives that is for sure. And Tonya & I will always be comforted knowing that we got to share his final moments on this earth with him.
And even though it has taken a long time to write this we send our deepest sympathy and condolences to Terry’s daughters and family.
I met and became friends with both his daughters Lisa Thacker and Lori Wilson, and I will always consider you both as very dear friends and treasure that friendship. Your Father was a wonderful man. He loved you both very very much. And he was so proud of the two of you. The strong confident ladies that you both became and are today. And his Granddaughter Sydney who I have known, worked with and been friends with a few years now, your Grandfather loved you and was proud of you for the cushy you made in your life. You and your children brought great joy to him.
Terri McClure-Howton
