Lillian Ricke, age 89, of Arcadia, died Monday, December 4, 2023, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll due to complications from pneumonia.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 9, 2023, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. The Celebrant will be Fr. Terry Roder. Music will be by Sharon Bierl and the St. John’s Choir. Lector will be Chad Kohorst. Gift Bearers and Honorary Casket Bearers will be Kristine Iverson and Valerie Vetter. Eucharistic Minister will be Pat Vogl. Casket Bearers will be Jay Ricke, Matt Ricke, Steven Ricke, Chad Kohorst, Jason Kohorst, Joe Vetter, Adam Vetter, Brian Ricke, and Kyle Ricke. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. A Christian Wake Service will be held at 6:30 p.m. There will be no visitation prior to the funeral mass on Saturday morning.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences my be left for Lillian’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Lillian, the daughter of Edmund and Hilda (Reiman) Miller was born on December 7, 1933, in Carroll, Iowa. She grew up in the Carroll area and graduated from St. Angela’s Academy.
On July 22, 1952, Lillian was united in marriage to Archie Ricke at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. The couple lived in Rapid City, South Dakota while Archie served in the United States Air Force. After his honorable discharge they returned to Carroll. In 1963 the couple relocated to Arcadia.
Lillian worked for various businesses in the area as well as a bookkeeper for Archie at their business, Ricke Repair. She enjoyed sewing and gardening. Lillian was known as the “Cookie Lady” always having a freezer full of cookies and knowing the exact amount of each type that she had. Her lifelong love for baking cookies would always be found giving to family, friends, and customers. In 2019 the couple retired to Journey Senior Services, and you would often find Lillian in the cafeteria mixing up her cookie dough to be baked and shared with anyone she met. Lillian was a member of St. John’s Parish in Arcadia, St. John’s Choir, and Arcadia American Legion Auxiliary.
Lillian is survived by her daughters: Cynthia (Joe) Fleskes of Davis, CA, and Jane (Gary) Vetter of Westside; her daughters-in-law: Deanna (Connie) Schoessler of Westside, and Jaynee Ricke of Arcadia; 11 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; her brother-in-law Larry (Carol) Ricke of Parkersburg; her sister-in-law: Sister Marlou Ricke of La Crosse, WI; as well as many other extended relatives and many friends.
Lillian was preceded in death by her parents: Edmund and Hilda Miller; her husband Archie Ricke; her parents-in-law: Vincent and Julia (Ludwig) Ricke; her sons: John, Jim, and Ken “Beanie” Ricke; her sisters: Bernice (Joe) Bekehermes and Arlene Eischeid; and sisters-in-law Ella Mae (Alvin) Reiff and Phyllis (Harold) Bluml.