Robert Ricker

Robert “Bob” Eugene Ricker, 87, of Mount Ayr, passed away July 17, 2019 at his home in Maple Ridge Apartments in Mount Ayr.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20 at United Church of Diagonal in Diagonal. The Rev. Gwen Trullinger will officiate. Burial will follow in the Bethel Cemetery, southwest of Diagonal. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday with the family present at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr. Memorials are to the United Church of Diagonal or the Margaret Ricker Raider and Maroon Reading Program. Online condolences may be left at www.armstrongfh.com.

Bob Ricker, son of Theodore Edward and Margaret Anna (Driskell) Ricker, was born Nov. 7, 1931 on a farm northwest of Diagonal.

Bob attended and graduated from Diagonal High School in 1951.

Bob married Lucy Evelyn Pine on October 26, 1952.

Bob raised cattle and farmed. He farmed the family farm with his mother and brother until Bob and Lucy bought a farm, four and a half miles west of Mount Ayr.

Bob was active in 4-H, Farm Bureau, Jaycees and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. Bob was a member of the United Methodist Church of Diagonal.

Bob and Lucy sold the family farm in 1991. Bob worked for rural water for many years.

He is survived by his wife Lucy Evelyn; brother Theodore “Junior” Ricker of Mount Ayr; sons: Bobby (Pam) Ricker of Nashville, Tennessee, Bruce (Michell) Ricker of Sun Valley Lake, and Brent Ricker of Mount Ayr; grandchildren: Jaren (Frances Randi) Ricker of Spirit Lake, Lindsay Ricker of Ormond Beach, Florida, Blake Ricker of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jessie Ricker of West Liberty, and Jake and Joe Ricker of Mount Ayr; great-grandchildren: Evelyn, William and Hudson Ricker of Spirit Lake; and sisters-in-law: Liz Wiley of Diagonal and Beverly Woods of Omaha, Nebraska.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter-in-law Martha Ricker; brothers-in-law; Ronnie, Raymond and Bob Pine, Dave Wiley and Clyde Woods; and sisters-in-law: Frances Ricker and Ruth Mathis.