Raymond RICCARDI Obituary

RICCARDI, Raymond R.
(Age 89)

April 15, 1928 - May 27, 2017

Ray Riccardi passed away peacefully May 27, 2017 and now is reunited with his beloved and extremely missed wife, Bobbie (Barbara Burns) and son, Rick.
Ray was born and raised in Denver, Colorado where he excelled at Manual High school playing baseball and football, receiving All City Honors. After meeting and marrying the love of his life he had an opportunity to move to the Spokane Valley where he and Bobbie would call home for the rest of their lives. There they relished raising their five children and helping take care of the grandchildren.
In the winters, he loved going to the Seahawks games and had a special rivalry with his loved Denver Broncos family. Summers were spent at their Coeur'd Alene Lake cabin, driving the boat and enjoying a cold beer or two with family. Ray and Bobbie loved the Mariners! A special highlight was attending the fifth game of the '95 playoffs and beating the Yankees, he was hoarse for days!!
Ray worked many years for General Electric Company. In 1980 he, along with his wife, founded a thriving transformer repair business where he developed life long friendships with many great people in the industry. After retiring in 1994, they started spending winters south and became snow birds. The Arizona life completely agreed with them, spring training, playing softball during the day and dancing and socializing in the evening.
During his wife Bobbie's last years, he was her devoted caregiver and always had a happy, cheerful disposition especially while listening to the Big Bands or "Dino Martino" as he would say.
Ray is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara; son, Raymond Jr (Rick); and two brothers, Paul and Joe. He is survived by his children and their spouses; Laura Babb, Kathy Bauernschmidt (Bill), Robin Cuculich (Roy); Kerry Riccardi (Becky); daughter-in-law, Sandy Riccardi; grandchildren: Toni Ann Brugger, Holly Maxey, Nicole Munk, Jodi Babb, Ginny Vance, Kimberly Babb, Jenelle Cuculich, Brandon Cuculich; and seven great-grandchildren.
A special thank you to the caregivers at Guardian Angels at Liberty Lake and Hospice of Spokane who cared for Ray the last three months of his life. They were truly wonderful.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 2:30 pm at the Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Rd., Spokane Valley, WA. A celebration of his life will follow at 4:30 pm at Luigi's Italian Restaurant, 245 W. Main Ave., Spokane WA 99201.