Charles Ricketts, 87, of Ames, IA passed away peacefully on July 12, 2020 at the Northcrest Retirement Community. A graveside service was held on Friday, July 17, 2020 at Ames Municipal Cemetery in Ames, IA.
Charles "Charlie" James Ricketts was born in Oswego, IL on February 25, 1933 to Kenneth and Gladys (Scott) Ricketts. They lived on a small farm about 60 miles west of Chicago and had purebred livestock and certified grain.
Charlie attended Oswego High School where he played on the varsity football, basketball, track, and baseball teams. During those years, he was also active in 4-H, FFA, and he earned a couple of scholarships to the University of Illinois, which he attended.
Charlie served in the US Army from 1954 to 1959 at Fort Lewis. Following the army, Charlie was a graduate student in agricultural engineering at University of Illinois and also played football there.
Charlie began his career at Sundstrand (Danfoss) in Rockford, IL working for a new division designing the first hydrostatic transmission. Charlie's first project as an engineer was designing and building the prototype for the first hydrostatic Cub Cadet garden tractor. In 1971, the company started a new plant in Ames, Iowa and Charlie moved with the company. Charlie held management positions in manufacturing, marketing, and sales during his tenure with the company.
On August 12, 1956, Charlie married Marjorie "Marge" Larson in Serena, IL. They had two children, Beth and Steve. Marge passed away on May 3, 2007. He later married Phyllis Poppen. Phyllis passed away on August 5, 2016. On November 3, 2017 he married Norma Sisson.
Left to cherish Charlie's memory is his wife, Norma Ricketts; children, Beth (Mark) Dean and Steve (Linda) Ricketts; grandchildren, Ryan (Abby) Dean, Megan (Joe) Nelson, Jenny (Rick) Johnson, Aaron Ricketts, Scott Ricketts and Jason Ricketts; great-grandchildren, Isla Dean and J.J. Nelson; and siblings, Carole Snyder, Mary Unruh and Tom Ricketts.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marge Ricketts; wife, Phyllis Ricketts; sister Lile Elliot; and an infant daughter, Susan Ricketts.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Bethesda Lutheran Church of Ames or Mary Greeley Medical Center Foundation. Memorial contributions in honor of Charlie may also be directed to Northcrest Community or the Northcrest Foundation, 1801 20th Street, Ames, Iowa 50010.