1. A Memoir: By Raechel Rickard in honour of R.L. Rickard.

2. My Papa, R.L. Rickard, was born in Buffaloe Arkansas on February 22, 1930. His parents were Leonard Rickard and Effie Bazzill and he has three sisters, Odell, Opal Ruth, and Melva Lou.

3. He was born to a farming family and grew up working in cotton and bean fields. He joined the Navy immediately after graduating from high school at 17 years of age.

4. While on a 30 day leave back home he met Gloria Imogene Gilliland on February 17 th,1953. They married on March 11 th, 1953 and stayed together for 51 years then my Nanny passed in 2004. He was so heartbroken my mom had to make him eat.

5. When he joined the Navy they made him take on the name Robert Lynn which he would pass down to his youngest son. He had three children, Heidi Marie Rickard, Kevin Brian Rickard, and Robert Lynn Rickard.

6. He spent 7 years on the White House Staff operating and maintaining the Presidential Yacht under both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He knew President Kennedy well and his house was decorated with many letters from the White House. Probably the most unique of which was from Mamie Eisenhower thanking him for assembling basketball goals for her kids. Often R.L. and his family were invited to Christmas Dinner at the White House.

7. Papa is the second from the left and Dwight D. Eisenhower is the man holding the rail.

8. In 1963 R.L. received orders to move to Hawaii. President Kennedy asked him how he liked his orders and Papa said that he would prefer working tugboats on the east or west coast. His orders were changed to Tugboat Master at Treasure Island in San Francisco. Everyone knew his tug on sight because of the dancing bull backed by a white diamond adorning it’s stack.

10. He completed 22 years in the Navy and retired as Chief Boatswains Mate having received the American Defense Medal with Fleet Clasp, Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp, China Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. Proud of his naval career his license tag read BMC RET.

11. After R.L. retired he worked a variety of jobs and moved back to Paragould Arkansas on May 4 th 1971. When they got a house on New Friendship Road he began working at Darling Store Fixtures on the maintenance crew, eventually leading it before retiring. Prior to retiring he was honoured as a distinguished senior employee.

12. He also enjoys gardening and auto repair as the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ and he has little need for repair and service men. He built most of the house that he lived in with his family in Paragould. When they first moved in it was a three-bedroom house but Papa added a master bedroom, dining room, utility room, den, oversized two-car garage, three sheds, and a storm cellar.

14. To this day R.L. is a devoted Christian and extremely friendly, even to the point of inviting a Sear’s Catalogue lady to dinner when she called to tell him his order had come in. He is a teacher, leader, and a man of values who hides a soft center behind a gruff but quiet manner. Earlier this year he had a stroke and is recovering but has to sell his house and belongings and live with Heidi and Bobby. He may also have Alzheimer’s or it could just be the stroke damaging his memory but I won’t let him fade from my heart and mind.

15. This is the end of A Memoir: In Honour of R.L. (Papa) Rickard. I love you Papa.