Rick was born on Sept. 8, 1941 to Dick and Marguerite Reckamp in St. Louis. He was raised in East St. Louis on 22 ^nd St. He passed away due to COVID on Oct. 11, 2022.  His mother and a few aunts and uncles said that he was a happy little boy. If you heard him tell stories of his childhood you would have heard talk of taking bus rides by himself at age 5, how his sisters always teased him but also what good dancers they were, how his grandma was a meticulous cleaner that included his weekly baths, and that big, beautiful house on 22 ^nd St where the family gathered for Sunday dinners. He was a mischievous boy with many stories of overcoming the controlling nature of his three sisters.  However, we knew he loved them deeply by the stories he told of all their successes, gifts, and kindness during childhood and through the years.

As a young man he played basketball and football at Assumption High School. He also became an avid reader, something that formed his vocabulary into a tool that he used to tell stories with such detail that you could close your eyes and see the places and things he was describing perfectly. It was in these formidable years that he learned to love to dance, something that he would carry with him and he would teach to others for the entirety of his life.

Rick got married and moved to O'Fallon in 1964.  He had 4 children over 6 years including Carol (John) Reckamp, Richie (Michelle) Reckamp (who preceded him in death) Matt Reckamp and Brad (Tina) Reckamp. He has two grandchildren: Brianna and Autumn Reckamp. His children accomplished many things due to his endless pursuit of educating them to do anything and everything. He taught them to be kind, to share, be grateful, be passionate, play sports and board games, cook and clean house, fix cars and use tools, read and write, participate, be a good citizen and a part of a community and family. After he gave his children those tools, they went in the world and mostly did good without fear of failing because they knew their father would always be there for them, and he would pick up all the pieces, put everything back together with considerable care if they failed, and then he would send them out again to keep striving to succeed.

He did so many special things with his children. He read classic literature to his children starting at age 6 and continued to introduce interesting and life-affirming themes with his daughter Carol who enjoyed literature as much as he. He would talk all level of physics into the night with Richie, his oldest son, who worked night shifts and was a Nuclear Engineer. He and his son Matt lived together as adults; Matt says he learned everything about running a house and being a man during that time. He taught his son Brad as much as he wanted to learn about fixing cars, building homes, making machinery run and how to use tools.

Rick continued his athletic pursuits as a young man playing for and coaching the St. Clair Old Timers church softball team and in a church volleyball league. He played catch with his daughter and sons teaching them their love for sports that all of them have.He also took an active role in his kids' sports being a volunteer basketball coach with his oldest son to his two younger sons.  If you knew Rick you know that he was also a Cardinal fan through and through; going to the Cardinal games with family and friends brought great joy to Rick his entire life.

Besides being a father, grandfather and husband Rick was a true Renaissance man. He was a craftsman, an artist, a musician, an administrator, a public servant, a teacher, a poet, a writer, a historian, an athlete, a dancer, a coach, a leader, an uncle, a builder, a mechanic, a tinkerer and excelled in just about any other type of carpentry or handy work you could think of. He was always building or fixing something of his own or helping others do the same. At his modest house on Atlantic Avenue he turned his garage into a bedroom suite and then built a garage in the back to accommodate his family. He lived directly behind his parents' house which provided an opportunity for his extended family to meet at his parents' house for Sunday donuts after church. Sunday donuts included his sisters Rosemary (Bill) Kaiser (both preceded him in death), Kathleen (the late Woody) Young, and Peggy (Charlie) Dove, and countless nieces and nephews.

Through hard work and dedication, he moved his family to a more accommodating house on Princeton Drive in O'Fallon's Ward 3 where he would eventually become an Alderman and serve the City of O'Fallon for over 24 years, the city's longest serving alderman.  His dedication to his city and his constituents were some of the proudest accomplishments of his professional career.  He would take any call at any time; he worked tirelessly for the city; he took some unpopular stands even if he knew his vote would not matter because he was a man of his convictions. After serving as an alderman, he took an appointed position to the Police Commission. One of his proudest days was when O'Fallon dedicated a day in his name in 2007 upon his retirement from the City Council. When Rick first moved to O'Fallon on the corner of Route 50 and Hartman Lane, it had a population of 7,000. He leaves it with a population of 32,000 and as a major hub in the Metro East. He participated in bringing major infrastructure upgrade and improvements, major commercial projects and improving schools all over O'Fallon.

Rick also found the most significant person in his life in Ward 3, his wife of 20 years Karyl (Krueger) Reckamp.  Rick met Karyl at St. Nicholas Church in O'Fallon while helping her son Patrick Paradise complete his Eagle Scout project. Karyl loved his enthusiasm in supporting her son's community project. She said he brought her out of her shell, but she got out of him a softness and kindness that was beautiful and made them work. Patrick was another blessing coming into Rick's life as another young man to mentor, another soul to share his love and care with. Rick and Karyl were the proverbial couple we all seek in our own partnerships, they met each other at the right time in both of their lives, it was a kind and tender love that made them bring the best out of each other.

His dedication to his city and community was not just limited to local politics but also to the numerous civic and religious organizations he belonged to over the years. He was a member and lector at St. Clare Church for almost 20 years and Eucharistic Minister and Reader at St Nicholas Church for 40 years. Rick served as the Treasurer in a local labor union, he was the President of the Quail Club, he was a 3 ^rd Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and the Father's Club at Althoff Catholic High School. He was also an active member of the Rotary, Jaycees, Booster Club, Sportsman Club, and many committees at St. Nicholas Church.

There is no doubt that the world is a better place because of all he has done as well as all the lives he touched. He will be missed so much by so many.

For those who may not have known Rick that well, here is an example of him as a father, mentor and man. His daughter Carol was in the Peace Corps and was disturbed by an official event and was wavering if she needed to report the incident… she did after some encouragement from Rick and here was his response:

Carol, I am completely proud of you and what you did. Some of that resolute determination to call out malevolence has to hearken back to the morally immovable Marguerite (his mother). The bow-necked refusal to go along to get along probably comes from the overweening stubbornness endemic in this family... which can be a powerful channel for good. . . at the right time and place. If I am completely honest, I am very edified by it all because that is exactly what I would have done without compunction. Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead! Enjoy the moment, because those dang "powers that be" always seem to exact cruel revenge for daring to have so much hubris and that hasn't changed since they chained Prometheus to the rock. They NEVER want to be reminded that they failed to perform and will punish to the max anyone who says it is so.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Society of St. Vincent De Paul or the O'Fallon Public Library . Sign the guest book at www.wfh-ofallon.com .

Visitation: 4 – 8 pm, Thursday, October 13, 2022 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O'Fallon. Visitation will continue at 10 am, Friday, October 14, 2022 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am, Friday, at the church, with Msgr. William J. Hitpas presiding. Burial will be at a later date at O'Fallon City Cemetery, O'Fallon, Ill.