Monday, May 1, 2006 

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Sharon as you may suspect Rick was an exceptional person. What that means is we are all exceptional because of knowing him. Of course this is just another AFGE more painfull because of its full ramifications, no more Rick. I have seen Ron Lotero in Sierra Vista AZ and told him of our loss, he went to Las Vegas for the weekend, did he owe Rick any money? :-) Thanks Sharon for being by our side the whole time. Hugs and Laughter!!!

Dear Sharon & Connie, your family is in my thoughts and prayers. Rick was my first great-grand-sponsor. I don’t know what to say other than “Thank you, Rick! I (we) love you!” (I know you’re listening!).

Dear Sharon, dear Connie, our family and I send our condolences to you. It was sad for us to hear that the big guy is not around, at least physically. He will always be with us in our thougts. I have a vision of him in heaven sitting with Ramstein Charly and Micky V. having a meeting.I talked to our priest yesterday, who is on his way to Chicago. There he will be seeing Fr. Bob at a retreat. He will say mass for Rick on Sunday. I also talked to Eve Kimball. Her daughter Kathy is in Medigan as a doctor, she sends her love and condolence as well. We will continue to pray for you. Love Tony and Marianne

For the Squire's family, James and I send our condolences and sympathy. Sharon, we will let Father Bob know that Rick has passed on. We will have Rick included in Sunday's prayers. We will miss Rick and his wonderful and infectious smile. This has been very hard to write. It has taken me all day. I am at a loss for words, and Rick would have had a good laugh at that. Love, James and Nadis

Rick and I were talking in his office one day before we went to lunch. I'd mentioned a book I was reading, "The Way of the Peaceful Warrier" and in there there's a passage that goes something like this: "If you really believe in the spiritual life, then dying is just another transition. No more strange or scarey than puberty, and a lot less embarassing." And yes, he laughed that laugh of his.

My memories of Rick are distant as I unfortunately haven't seen him in years. But what has stuck with me is his spirit and his sense of humor. What a wonderful human being and I feel truly blessed to have known him. He obviously enriched the lives of those of us blessed enough to have known him. One of my favorite memories of Rick is of dinner at Sharon and Rick's house in Germany and he fixed us the best steak I have EVER had in my life. The evening was one filled with laughter and fellowship that I will never forget. My heart and prayers go out to you Sharon and all of your and Rick's loved ones. You are well loved and I am sure will have a wonderful support system and for that I am grateful. Thankfully Rick is in a much better place now than any of us - though that doesn't make the loss any easier I am sure - but at least he no longer has any pain or suffering. Sending my love and prayers - Patty Maciewski (Perkins)

I know Irmgard was upthere waiting for him as the member of the recetion comittee. How strange GOD works thing out for us her on earth. I was in that H&I meeting wed evening, the chairman chose the topic og the serenity prayer: accept the thing I cannot change. And Lo and behold, before we new it, one of the older member (not knowing of out loss, Victoria was there too), began sharing of his losses, one while drinking the other while in sobriety. This just broke the dam, for Victoria and I, and we bothe shared with total feelings and emotions. I think we just blew away the ATF patients, most of them in there only for theior second week. They just sat threre stunned, and watched in aw, of openly sharing our feelings and emotions. I'am deeply sad, but beginning to accept things I cannot change.My love to all of you. loutoldy

Sharon I know we will all miss Rick, but I know he is in a place beyond his wildest imagination. Every year when my Birthday month came around I knew that I would be able to hear Ricks amazing story again, because we share the same month, October. You and your daughters are in our thoughts and prayers.

I no longer pray for my dear Buddy. Rick is with his Father in Heaven and we mortals here on earth must pray for the family of relatives and friends he left behind. To me Rick was a gift from God. As counselor ,(I know of none better) Socially and of course on the golf course. Rick was my eyes, my mentor and my admirer. ( Rick would say Jimmy has the sweetest swing) I wasn't sure where the ball was going but I looked good. Talking about driving I had nothing but admiration for his driving on the Autobahn. Now driving a golf cart was a different story, some time my head would hit the roof of the cart but I never said a word. The time he was driving to the next tee (full bore) he hit the brakes on wet grass slid sideways then slid backward toward a small body of water. I rolled out onto the ground, as the cart finally stopped maybe a foot from the edge. He said (NO FAITH ! ). could go on and on talking about my Buddy and me but my wet eyes will not let me. Sharon, Annie and I will keep our prayers going for you and all of Rick's, family and Friends. Love you Jimmy

I no longer pray for my dear Buddy. Rick is with his Father in Heaven and we mortals here on earth must pray for the family of relatives and friends he left behind. To me Rick was a gift from God. As counselor ,(I know of none better) Socially and of course on the golf course. Rick was my eyes, my mentor and my admirer. ( Rick would say Jimmy has the sweetest swing) I wasn't sure where the ball was going but I looked good. Talking about driving I had nothing but admiration for his driving on the Autobahn. Now driving a golf cart was a different story, some time my head would hit the roof of the cart but I never said a word. The time he was driving to the next tee (full bore) he hit the brakes on wet grass slid sideways then slid backward toward a small body of water. I rolled out onto the ground, as the cart finally stopped maybe a foot from the edge. He said (NO FAITH ! ). could go on and on talking about my Buddy and me but my wet eyes will not let me. Sharon, Annie and I will keep our prayers going for you and all of Rick's, family and Friends. Love you Jimmy

Curtis let us know promptly about Rick's passing. My sympathy and love to all of you out there who have loved this "bigger-than-life" but oh so gently man. I am happy for him because his battle has ended and he is finally home with his Life Coach. To you, Sharon, and to Connie and all the rest of the family, I send love and hugs. My thoughts and prayers will be with you as you get through these next few weeks and months of adjusting to a life without Rick there in the physical sense. We know he will always be with you in your hearts. Take one day at a time and lean on those wonderful memories of times spent together. You will be amazed at how your hearts will expand even more with gratitude as you remember how much you have to treasure forever. Celebrate Rick's life and SMILE when those happy thoughts happen, because you know he would like that. Time will seem like an enemy at first, but soon you will discover that it is really a blessing that God grants us to carry us through the healing process. Give yourself over to it and don't fight the feelings. I hope some day I have the privilege of hugging you all in person. Until then, please accept my sincere sympathy and love. Judi

Yesterday I attempted to get into this all day w/o success. But nevertheless, I decided whatever the outcome is God is here and I am goint to a meeting. At 19:30 I was on the way up to the H&I meeting, when I heard it. Rick has it good! He doesnt have to put up with this wordly insanity around us. Sharon, my sincere CONDOLENCE to you and the family members. I know how painful all this is. God in his infinite wisdom will give you the peace and the strenght to carry on. I pray for all of you. Love Lou.

I feel so very much connected to you Sharon. I have traveled the road that you have traveled and all I can say is that I would have missed out on the miracle of being there for my husband when he passed this world into eternity if I had picked up that first drink. When I came to Germany, my husband did not join me until 7 months later. I know that my husband and I will be together some day in my next journey to eternity. For now, I live with his essence. HP has been with me and remember that God doesn't give us anything that we can't handle because we are not alone. God Bless, Love ...Lorraine (K-town)

OK…Stories about Rick… Rick was my official sponsor when I accepted a new position and brought my daughter Erin to Germany on the 17th of November 1993. He met us outside the customs area of the airport in Frankfurt; waving a banner with my name on it. Erin and I were jet lagged, sleep deprived and shell shocked with this enormous change after our 16 hour flight from San Francisco. It had begun to dawn on us what a huge decision this move was and after clearing German Customs we were to say the least, a little culture shocked. Rick gathered up our suitcases, talking up a storm and stuffed us into his car. Out of consideration for our condition Rick gallantly informed us he would drive “carefully and conservatively.” I told him I appreciated this as I knew there was no speed limit on the autobahn. ( I had been reading about driving in Germany.) Now fatigue makes me less observant, well near unconscious, really; but after a time I did begin to notice the blur of the villages, castles, acres of naked grape vines and the AAFES bread factory. I snuck a peek at the speedometer, 95 miles per hour it screamed! While this may have been slow for Rick, I had just left the land of 55 mile per hour. I took stock of my physical surrounds and observed I was plastered against the seat back of the car and began to pray for a safe delivery. I just wanted to have our new flight safely land. When I looked at my daughter in the back seat, all I could see was two huge round blue eyes and a form which had melded into the fabric! I am not complaining; we got to the hotel in Landsthul safely, in one piece, but it was an interesting introduction to the “warp speed” of cars on the autobahn in Germany. As we drove Rick kept assuring me that as soon as I passed the drivers test I would easily adjust and learn to drive faster. And throughout the trip along with the dialogue about the scenery, the job and the bread factory, Rick kept reinforcing that I needed to “really study hard” for the USAREUR driver’s exam. It was “critically important to pass” as quickly as possible. He had kindly provided me with a book to study while I was still in the USA. (Never mind that it had DO NOT REMOVE FROM OFFICE stamped all over it.) And I did look it over. But he was so concerned I began to panic. I memorized signs and situations involving hay carts and horses, donkeys and dogs, trams and trolleys, busses and trains, cross walks and crossings, bicycles and pedestrians. I committed at least 60 signs with lines and circles to memory and did my best to commit strange words to my vocabulary, things that meant rough road, soft shoulder, don’t park here, only go one way, leaving town, next town is…., town center, and the forty syllable word that means: this is the industrial area of town. It all seemed endless and so completely foreign. On the day of my license test I was in a tizzy. Rick picked me up at O”dawn thirty,” (Mind you, I am not alert until two things happen: I need coffee in my system and forget an intelligible answer prior to the hour of 1000.) It was dark, very dark. The sun had no intention of peeking over the horizon; it was 0730 in the morning. It was winter, in Germany, where the sun sets at 1530 in the afternoon and it does not get up until 0900. It was pitch black. We drove on toward the base and as we went I asked Rick about a sign I had seen but could not find in the book; a yellow square with a black border, placed on an angle, having no words, but it did have two blackish dots in the center. When I studied the book I had seen something similar to it, but not this one in particular. I was frantic, what if it showed up on the test? Dear God! Rick said he did not know what it was, if I saw one on the way I should point it out to him. We passed one and I told him to look. He missed it and told me to give him a heads up on the next one. My anxiety was increasing exponentially with every turn of the tires as we approached the base for this terrifying test on which “everything depended” according to Rick. Suddenly I saw another one of those signs coming up…I shouted at Rick and this time he slowed down to see it. Then, to my dismay, he burst out in laughter and almost had to stop driving. When he gathered his breath and could speak again, he told me the sign was a Priority Road sign. I told him “No it is not, the ones I had seen had two dots in the center and the Priority Road signs had nothing in them, no words and no dots! Miffed, I told him I needed to know what this was since I needed to pass this very important test the first time, just like he had told me to do. (I really did not want to let him down.) Rick collapsed again and howled with laughter and told me to RELAX. It took him several seconds to get it together, and then he explained the dot in the center of the sign I was asking about were the rivet points where the sign was attached to the post which held it up. Who knew? I passed the test the first time, with a score of 97. We danced! It was not until much much later that Rick confessed to me he had to take the drivers test twice. On a more serious note, Rick had promised his boss, Col. Retta Marconi-Dooley he would be the “Sponsor from Heaven” for any employee she hired in the Family Advocacy Office. He more than lived up to his promise. While we arrived quickly, our car did not. Rick and Sharon loaned us their spare second car for two and a half months until ours disembarked from the ship. He helped with gas coupons and covered the insurance. He helped with cash, literally supporting us. My pay checks were amiss and Rick saw to it that Erin and I never lacked for money. He did this without flinching, expectation or conditions. We could not have survived without his help and he changed our lives forever; he made us welcome, he supported us, he counseled us, he listened, he healed, he challenged, and he fed us, with both food and love. My life would not be what it is now if not for him, all because of his tremendous gifts to me. Joy Be to You, Richard Squires. Love, Anne.

Dear Sharon, I am so sorry for your loss, it feels so unreal to me. Rick was suppose to be there forever, but he left a little part of him with everybody. At this point I am doing what Rick would want me to do, he would suggest to pick up the phone and call people. I love you, Gerdy

This is sad. We prayed for you both when we heard Rick had passed on. Our love and Spirit are with you. I know you won't read this for awhile, Sharon, but at some point down the road we'll come see you and have a cup of tea and talk about how grateful we are for what God had given us, not the least of which was some time with Rick. We love you Mike and Jo Ruth

Dear Friends, I'm taking the initiative to let you all know that Rick passed away last evening, at about 4:30 p.m. surrounded by his beautiful wife Sharon, his daughter Connie, and others. At this time, Sharon is doing very well, and is making phone calls and talking to people as she is able to... I would like to thank, on behalf of Sharon and the rest of my family, all the friends who have reached out to her, and Rick, over the past 9-10 months from all over the USA and Europe. Rick was quite a man, and his influence will be felt by many for months and years to come. Again, thank you for your support and friendship. A memorial service/Mass will be scheduled in about 2 to 2-1/2 weeks, details are incomplete at this time. -Jane Bennett

Hi Sharon & Rick, I know you are not reading this right now, but you may read it later. I just wanted you to know that I came to a place today, in my life, that I would have never made it to without the two of you. Today I finished nursing school. I left Germany with your encouragement, your love and my two babies and went to a place I had never seen before. You told me I could do it. You promised me a life beyond my wildest imagination and you told me I was growing into an amazing woman. Your "miracle baby". When they kicked me out for my seizures, you told me the story about writing the paper, "just the way that _____ wanted it" and getting your masters anyway. You told me about talking to the Dean and letting him know that "This old alcoholic soldier was going to graduate school, one way or another". I remember telling you both that I wasn't sure if it would happen for a girl like me. You continued to kiss my cheek and tell me that a girl like me was especially who it was going to happen for. Sharon, you taught me how to be a lady and Rick, you taught me that I deserved to be treated like one. You both brought me back to a God that I had left behind long ago and whom I now embrace with my whole heart. You taught me about Grace, Love, and Dignity. These were things I had never known before. Rick, I love you so much. I'm going to miss you. I had always immagined you would be here to see your "investment" pay off. Your Schatz loves you and I will always take care of your Sharon for you just like my own mother. I love you both. Carol

Angels are watching over you all. Hang onto each other and the road won't feel quite so bumpy. It's amazing how much our strength multiplies when we share it with those we love. I am praying many times a day and you are never far from my thoughts. I know God has a special plan for you, Rick. We don't usually understand his timing; but we can always trust that it is perfect. I remember having to be reminded of this a few times when I was sitting with Mom in those final days. Looking back, I treasure each and every moment. Hug each other and leave it all in His hands. Love to you all and special thanks and hugs for you, Connie. Your gift to all of us is immeasurable! Your Cousin, Judi

Connie! Two peas ina pod? Never! They were more than that. Two Bodies, ONE SOUL! That is how I see them. This is like a unreal for me. There is only three of us left:Dick with the stick, Honolullu Flash and myself (from the old times) I'm praying several times daily, keeping Rick in mind, You sharon, Connie and your sister. (Forgive me I forgot her name). God grant me the serenity..... Love LOU!!!!!!!!

Connie, Rick has been Sharon’s "Rock" and Sharon has been Rick's "Rock” They have kept one another secure and stable for many years...they both reached a place together that many of us can only dream of getting to as husband and wives...I am sure that it's hard to let go...and even harder to imagine doing so....Our love goes out to all of you and may it help to carry you through to the next level of your journey.... Michael and Janet

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