Pat M. Ricks passed away peacefully November 5, 2021. He was 80.
Pat was born October 26, 1931 in Headrick, Oklahoma to Mr. H.V. and Vonnie Ricks. Pat was the sixth child of seven siblings. He also had one half brother and sister. His siblings, H.O. Ricks, Bill J., Homer L, Rosa Lea, Darlene, Christine Ricks and Joseph Ricks all precede him in death. Pat is survived by his sister Dorothy Mae Comisky. Pat graduated High School from Bobchito, OK. Upon graduation, he spent three years in the US Army. He was assigned to the Military Police and served as a security guard in the Pacific during the atom bomb testings that took place in the early 1950’s. Later, he transferred to the engineers department and became a crane operator. Pat worked in the Hearey Crane Field for 50 plus years. He also worked on many present-day landmarks. One of them being the bridge across the Panama Canal in the construction on the Saturn 5 test stand in Huntersville, Alabama for NASA. He also spent two years re-working the sister bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge that crossed the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal.
Pat married Mary Holcomb in 1952, and they had no children. Mary died in 1985. He later married Tammy Moratic to whom he divorced in 2013.
Pat’s work took him to many places around the world. He spent time in South and Central America; two months in the Far East; time in the Middle East; a few months in communist China; numerous places throughout Europe; and he also spent time in New Zealand and Australia.
After Pat retired in 1997 from the Crane Industry, he became bored and stared looking for work to occupy his time. He found a job as a long-haul truck driver and did that until he was 73 years old. From there, he worked on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma until he was 80 years old.
Pat loved to travel, loved new cars in his later years and took great pleasure in lending a helping hand to others, both physically and financially, as best he could.
All services will be private.
Guestbook available online at www.resthavenfunerals.com
Arrangements and care entrusted to Resthaven Funeral Home, Sinton.
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