NCC remembers psychology teacher

By Danielle Sampson

Family, friends, faculty and students gathered Friday, September 14 to honor and remember Ralph Rickgarn.

Rickgarn was a faculty member of the Psychology Department who passed away on July 31, 2007, with his family present, after a battle with cancer.

The memorial was held in the Japanese Garden, a favorite spot of Rickgarn’s. The ceremony started off with President Joe Opatz, Teri Wichman, the Dean of the Psychology Department, and Jon Marshall, the Dean of the Humanities Department, who read aloud Rickgarn’s favorite chapter from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13.

Dr. David Lake, a fellow psychology instructor and close friend followed Marshall’s speech. Lake spoke of fond memories of Rickgarn, how he was the kindest person he had ever known and how relentlessly optimistic he was.

Lake spoke of the passion Rickgarn had for life, and how everything about life fascinated him.
Next to speak was Doug Pearson, followed by Ruth Schiller who concluded the ceremony speaking about Rickgarn’s amazing faith in the afterlife and read aloud one of his favorite haikus.

After the memorial, many gathered in the cafeteria for a sit down, allowing attendees to talk and reminisce. Many spoke of how Rickgarn was so kind, and how he absolutely cared for everyone around him.

They spoke of how he was always willing to talk about anything, and you knew that if Rickgarn stopped at your doorway, a good conversation was soon to follow.

Rickgarn came to NCC after retiring in 1999 from the University of Minnesota. He is renowned at NCC for developing the first Psychology of Suicide course and for holding many educational seminars pertaining to the topic.

Rickgarn touched the lives of so many people and students. He loved this place and NCC is honored to have had such a devoted and skilled instructor. Even though he has passed, his work and life passion will influence the generations to come.

The following is an excerpt from the pamphlet handed out at Rickgarn’s Remembrance and Celebration of Life ceremony.

“Ralph was born at the Murray County Hospital, Slayton, MN, on 1 June 1934 to Alma Theodora Swan Rickgarn and Henry William (Heinrich Wilhelm) Rickgarn. He was raised on a farm north of Hadley, MN, and attended a one-room school (District 92) for eight years. He graduated from Slayton High School, in 1952.

“In 1954 he enlisted in the U.S. Army, attended the Army Language School (Russian) and served in military intelligence until 1957. He entered the University of Minnesota in 1957 and received a B.A. cum laude, in Political Science (1964) while working as Asst. Director of Frontier Hall and Assistant to the Vice President for Development. From 1965 to 1968 he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 1966 he married Glenys Agatha Neville at the University Episcopal Center. In 1968, daughter, MerLynne Anne, was born in Houlton, ME, where they moved, as Ralph was Dean of Students at Ricker College from 1968-1971.

“Returning to Minneapolis, Ralph was employed in Housing & Residential Life (1971-1999) serving as Director of Territorial, Contennial and Middlebrook Halls, Coordinator of Marketing and Research and Coordinator of Student Behavior (as though anyone could). He received an M.A. in Psychoeducational Studies in counseling (1981) and an Ed.S. in counseling (1984), specializing in the area of suicidology, his major work.

“He wrote the pamphlet, The Issue is Suicide and Perspectives on College Student Suicide (Baywood 1994) as well as many articles and book chapters. He served on the editorial board of Death Studies. In 1999, he retired from the University of Minnesota. From 1999-2007, he was an adjunct instructor of psychology at NCC Community College where he developed the first Psychology of Suicide class.

“He served on the Board of the Minnesota Coalition for Death Education & Support for 10 years, was a member of American Association of Suicidology and the Association for Death Education and Counseling as well as other organizations relating to college students.”

Rickgarn created poetry, paintings, prints, silver and turquoise jewelry in his spare time. He loved opera and many other kinds of music, including Tina Turner, gardening and growing orchids.

Always a seeker, he explored spirituality across cultures and sought to define his past lives and their relationship to his current life.

Thank you, Mr. Rickgarn, for sharing your knowledge and passion with us.