RIP - Bob Rickard

On Sep 7, 6:56 pm, (John B) wrote:
When we all pass from this world, they put the date of our birth, and
the date of our passing on a stone....they seperate those dates with a
"dash"! It's that dash that is important, not the begining or the
end....but how you lived the "dash"!

I am sure Bob lived his "dash" to the fullest!

I hope all of his family and friemds can celebrate Bob's "dash"....my
heart goes out to them!

John K

I don't have the words to say about Bob. He was a great inventor! I
will thinking about him for years to come, everytime I toss of a
Secret Weapon spinnerbait. There is no way of knowing how many lives
he touched, and how many will benefit from his inventions in the years
to come!! As I am one of them, who has enjoyed fishing his inventions
and have learned a lot from him.

I enjoyed the talks we had for hours on the phone, and emails about
Secret Weapon's and fishing. He was very kind, listened to my opinions
and ideas. I am very thankful he took his time and thought enough of
me to send me baits to test and give him feedback on. Not to mention
adding me to the field staff and adding the "Moonlight Special" bait
that I felt was a good addition to the Secret Weapon Lures family.

Thank you Bob for taking your time to talk with me; the opportunity to
join the Secret Weapon family and your creative lures that have caught
I can't count how many fish over the years!

I will see you someday with our heavenly father.

You will be truely be missed by all!!

-Justin Hires
My Site: www.freewebs.com/justinusabassin/
Director/Moderator (Forums www.USABassin.com
National Team Tournament Trail

Pro Staff: www.SecretWeaponLures.com
www.Allterraintackle.com
www.Scenttec.com
www.FutureBass.com
www.KidLizard.com

I am proud to have been numbered among Bob Rickard's friends and to have
been mentored by him over the past six years. I'll miss him, of course, but
Bob was better prepared for his passage to the next life than most, and
death held no fear for him. His pain and trials are now over, for which I am
grateful.

Bob was plagued with diabetes, heart disease, reduced liver and lung
function, and many health issues that might have broken most men. Throughout
his trials he maintained an incredibly upbeat attitude. Friends who called
on Bob to encourage him were invariably uplifted by his positive,
light-hearted demeanor. In phone conversations with retailers, distributors,
vendors and customers, few could tell that he was often fatigued and in
constant pain. He was a living example of how to treat people and handle
adversity with grace.

Bob's love for his family, friends, and fishing was apparent to all. He
spoke often and with obvious pride of his children, sons-in-law, and
grandchildren. And as I got to know several of them, I could tell that they
loved and respected him as well.

One can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps, and Bob's closest
friends - Jim Winn, Herb Scherer, and others who welcomed me into their
circle - are the kind of men that you would want by your side in life's
journey. Honest, devoted, hard-working salt of the earth kind of guys. That
says a lot about Bob right there.

Some readers may not be aware how brilliant the man was. A self-taught
mechanical engineer, Bob posessed a combination of communication,
interpersonal, and technical skills rarely encountered in the engineering
field. For many years and around the world, anglers will benefit from his
ingenuity as they enjoy using the fishing tackle he developed. He devoted
the same creativity, rigor and discipline to redesigning the spinnerbait
that he applied as part of the engineering teams working on the F-4 Tomcat,
F-15 Eagle, and the lunar landing module. For more about Bob's interesting
story, go to http://secretweaponlures.com/swhistory.htm

Bob made a profound imprint on the company he founded, too. His commitment
to go an extra mile for his customers is woven into its fabric. He demanded
top quality in everything we built. From the outset, he insisted that Secret
Weapon focus on unique products that deliver high value, top performance,
and better results. If he coudn't figure out a way to design and manufacture
best-in-class lures, then he really wasn't interested.

Bob Rickard will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by his co-workers,
vendors, customers, and friends whose lives he enriched.

Several of his friends here in ROFB have contacted me, asking if there is
anything they can do to ease the pain of his passing. Thank you for your
consideration and concern. At this time, I don't know of any need, but I'll
let you know if something comes up.

Bob insisted on no public funeral or memorial service. His family and
friends will gather next month to reminisce and honor the memory of this
fine person. Knowing of Bob's enjoyment of ROFB and his many friends here,
family members have already visited this newsgroup and sincerely appreciate
the notes of condolence left here. Jim Winn is making sure they are
collected and shared with all the family. If anyone would like to offer a
personal message to the family, please e-mail it to me and I will convey it
to his loved ones.

Joe Haubenreich
Secret Weapon Lures

I will mis Bob, even though I haven't been reading or posting here for
a while, Bob and I kept in touch once in a while by email.

I remember when he first came out with his Secret Weapon spinner bait
I related that I had a spinner bait that I called the secret weapon
because it was such a bass catcher. Bob asked me all about it and I
sent him pictures and he did a color in honor of my secret weapon. I
don't know it its around any more, my memory fails me but I think it
was the Grimes' Ghost.

Good man, he will be missed, thank you Bob...

On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 20:56:53 -0500, "Joe Haubenreich"
wrote:

I am proud to have been numbered among Bob Rickard's friends and to have
been mentored by him over the past six years. I'll miss him, of course, but
Bob was better prepared for his passage to the next life than most, and
death held no fear for him. His pain and trials are now over, for which I am
grateful.

Bob was plagued with diabetes, heart disease, reduced liver and lung
function, and many health issues that might have broken most men. Throughout
his trials he maintained an incredibly upbeat attitude. Friends who called
on Bob to encourage him were invariably uplifted by his positive,
light-hearted demeanor. In phone conversations with retailers, distributors,
vendors and customers, few could tell that he was often fatigued and in
constant pain. He was a living example of how to treat people and handle
adversity with grace.

Bob's love for his family, friends, and fishing was apparent to all. He
spoke often and with obvious pride of his children, sons-in-law, and
grandchildren. And as I got to know several of them, I could tell that they
loved and respected him as well.

One can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps, and Bob's closest
friends - Jim Winn, Herb Scherer, and others who welcomed me into their
circle - are the kind of men that you would want by your side in life's
journey. Honest, devoted, hard-working salt of the earth kind of guys. That
says a lot about Bob right there.

Some readers may not be aware how brilliant the man was. A self-taught
mechanical engineer, Bob posessed a combination of communication,
interpersonal, and technical skills rarely encountered in the engineering
field. For many years and around the world, anglers will benefit from his
ingenuity as they enjoy using the fishing tackle he developed. He devoted
the same creativity, rigor and discipline to redesigning the spinnerbait
that he applied as part of the engineering teams working on the F-4 Tomcat,
F-15 Eagle, and the lunar landing module. For more about Bob's interesting
story, go to http://secretweaponlures.com/swhistory.htm

Bob made a profound imprint on the company he founded, too. His commitment
to go an extra mile for his customers is woven into its fabric. He demanded
top quality in everything we built. From the outset, he insisted that Secret
Weapon focus on unique products that deliver high value, top performance,
and better results. If he coudn't figure out a way to design and manufacture
best-in-class lures, then he really wasn't interested.

Bob Rickard will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by his co-workers,
vendors, customers, and friends whose lives he enriched.

Several of his friends here in ROFB have contacted me, asking if there is
anything they can do to ease the pain of his passing. Thank you for your
consideration and concern. At this time, I don't know of any need, but I'll
let you know if something comes up.

Bob insisted on no public funeral or memorial service. His family and
friends will gather next month to reminisce and honor the memory of this
fine person. Knowing of Bob's enjoyment of ROFB and his many friends here,
family members have already visited this newsgroup and sincerely appreciate
the notes of condolence left here. Jim Winn is making sure they are
collected and shared with all the family. If anyone would like to offer a
personal message to the family, please e-mail it to me and I will convey it
to his loved ones.

Joe Haubenreich
Secret Weapon Lures

On Mon, 3 Sep 2007 21:35:20 -0500, "Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers"
wrote:

It is with a heavy heart that I pass on this information. Some time today,
Bob Rickard passed on peacefully in his sleep. As you know, Bob has had
some significant health issues, and his battles are past.

He's gone to a better place and he's fishing with the likes of Abe Watson
and others.

The world has lost a great man and a true friend.....

More details will be following as they are known.

It was very much a privilege to know Bob. Bob was a gentlemen
who displayed great love for his country and for fishing. I'm going
to miss his emails and I'm looking forward to the day we can meet in
Heaven and share fish stories:

The Fisherman's Prayer
by Thomas Keats

When far from land on the stormy sea
There are times when my boat seems frail to me
Where the rising wind and the monstrous waves
Have sent many souls to their watery graves

When the fog shuts down and blacks out the shore
And the heavy seas on the rocks do roar
Where the hidden shoal and the tricky tide
Could mean my doom without a guide

In times like this our hearts sometime fail
And we fear we’ll be lost in the stormy gale
Our thoughts go back to our friends on shore
And loved ones whom we'll probably see no more

But then at last there is a light
Shining through the gloom like a beacon bright
It is our faith in Our Lord we see
Who rules the raging of the sea

Our thoughts go back to the story true
Of Our Lord who protects His disciples’ crew
Who were fishermen just like me
And we follow their tradition of the sea

So now all fishermen be of good cheer
And always remember Your Lord is near
The word of a hymn which can give courage to thee
Are "Jesus Saviour, Pilot Me".
--
Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law
Indianapolis, IN
Email:
Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com
Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater
Favorite Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosiertradingpost.com/FishingTackle
1st Annual ROFB Classic Winner

I met Bob at the very first Mid Tenn. Classic. I remember the room he was in
at the hotel up by Elm Hill Marina. We enjoyed some nice chats about things
other than fishing and I liked him immediately.

Our temporary loss is Heaven's gain. To all his friends and family . . .
Thank you for sharing him with us over all these years. We're so happy he's
finally free of those physical affirmities that held him captive for so many
years.

And now . . . in Celestial realms I suspect he's Heavenly Father's "Secret
Weapon."

--
God Bless America & Bob

Josh The Bad Bear