Green Living writer, master gardener, world traveler and good friend
By Dorie Morales
Ric and I met at a design industry event in 2015 and hit it off immediately. His passion for life and doing good for the environment were apparent, and over the course of several months, we continued to bump into each other at industry events. Eventually, our friendship grew through conversations over coffee, which allowed me to learn about his path in life. We talked about everything from our families to religion and our careers. He was incredibly knowledgeable and well-versed in many topics. From cars and travel to farming and food, health and wellness, master gardening and sustainability – he spoke with passion and purpose when it came to his hobbies.
Ric absolutely loved to cook and treated my family and me to some of his best work, including homemade mulberry wine from the trees in his yard, and even sauerkraut – which turned out to be the best I’d ever had. Over the years, our families enjoyed some incredible times together.
Ric’s knowledge of sustainability also translated into some notable stories that long-time readers of Green Living may remember. In June 2016, he wrote his first article about Robert Bosch and the green movement, followed shortly thereafter by a fantastic piece about the importance of eating native seeds, and a couple months later, what green activism meant to him. He was excited to write for the magazine, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a regular contributor to organic gardening and farming magazines.
Ric’s pieces continued to get great feedback and in January 2017, he wrote the first article that introduced Green Living’s master gardening series, in which he sourced endless amounts of information to create 12 months of content. Ric dove in head first, attending master gardening workshops and cultivating relationships with other master gardeners to bring timely and relevant stories to our readers. Eventually, he encouraged his friends to write for the magazine, as well. There was no bigger fan or supporter of this magazine than Ric.
Shortly after he started the gardening series, Ric began experiencing troublesome aches and pains in his body and his immune system began to show fatigue. In March 2017, his throat and lymph nodes began to swell and he was diagnosed by a naturopath and an ENT with a thyroid issue. With no improvement in his condition by June, he sought an additional opinion from an endocrinologist who diagnosed him with large B-cell lymphoma. It was aggressive, and his condition made it difficult to breathe. His only chance at survival was a program of intense chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic. Ric first underwent a rigorous seven days of chemo, followed by another smaller round, and immunotherapy at the Hoxsey Biomedical Center in Tijuana.
During his cancer journey, Ric researched nearly every type of medicine and treatment possible and spoke to various practitioners of both Western and Eastern medicine to devise a holistic treatment plan that eventually resulted in a cancer-free diagnosis. He avidly followed the “Chris Beat Cancer” and “The Truth About Cancer” series of books. Throughout his brave journey, Ric invited Green Living readers to reach out and provide comments on his articles. He received hundreds from people all over the country who related to his struggle, found hope in his survival, or wanted to connect with someone who cared. We received requests for Ric to appear at our events because they wanted simply to meet him. He was humbled and happy to meet with anyone and everyone who benefitted from his story. I’m happy to say that in 2019, Ric’s articles graduated from sharing about his fight with cancer, to detailing his cancer recovery journey. Readers even saw a return to articles on gardening, biodiversity, and health and wellness. As a member of our advisory board, Ric offered incredible insight, ideas, and valuable recommendations relating to the future of the magazine. I trusted him implicitly.
It seemed that everyone that knew Ric – and even those who simply felt like they knew him through his writing – absolutely loved him. His ability to connect with others was unparalleled. He deeply loved his wife Suzette, his children Leah, Sheena, Shawn, and his grandkids Cyrus and Ty, and he cherished every moment that he spent with them. He was called Papa by his grandkids. He celebrated his friends and continued to devote his time and energy to causes and professional organizations (the National Kitchen and Bath Association was particularly close to his heart) that he was passionate about even following his retirement.
There aren’t enough words or accolades to summarize Ric’s loving way or the impact that he had on his family, friends, and community. He was the most generous of humans, always ready to help others even if it meant putting his own needs aside. He loved Yahovah, his family, his friends, and, of course, HUGS. Our community is mourning the untimely loss of Ric, and I miss him deeply. I am grateful that his legacy of wisdom, warm personality, and zest for life will forever live on through his words written here, in Green Living.
