Brian Lester Ricker

BRIAN LESTER RICKER (July 17, 1949 – February 27, 2025) - It is with sadness we announce the passing of Brian Ricker. The son of Roscoe and Nellie (Reynolds) Ricker, his upbringing in Edgett’s Landing, Truro and Lower Coverdale led Brian to life-long loves of the outdoors, cars, baseball, TV, movies, music and art. This made him particularly adept at adding colorful quotes and pop culture references to any conversation or trivia round. After a brief flirtation with civil engineering education, Brian found he was much better at sales than drafting. He had a long (and storied by his own accounts) career as a senior account manager for commercial food distributors. He used a voice suited to radio (it was sometimes suggested his face was also suited to radio) effectively and convincingly for sales and storytelling, usually a bit of both at the same time. He enjoyed traveling and working with clients, as well as having a company car and an expense account. Brian was generally happiest at home, however, building and maintaining his house in Wheaton Settlement, watching the river from the porch in Shediac or teasing the staff and residents of the Berkeley in Halifax. He was a founding member of the Black Diamond Social Club and was at the centre, and heart, of most gatherings he attended. In retirement Brian became the owner/operator/chef/adirondack chair builder of his own’ Red Baron Tavern in the woods of Shediac River. Here everyone was welcome to join Brian for a drink, a whistledog, tales and life reflections while watching the birds and otters. A sports lover to his core and a bean bag tosser to the end, it is unknown if the broken heart he repeatedly suffered as a longtime Montreal Expos fan (especially after the 1994 strike-aborted season) contributed to Brian’s passing. Fortunately, he got to see a Broncos Superbowl victory, then got the jacket to prove it. Brian’s epic baseball hat collection, sports memorabilia, and the sports scenes he painted will live on like many of his jokes and stories. But Brian’s favourite thing, and perhaps what he will be best remembered for, was being a very proud Girl Dad long before it was a meme or a hashtag (two things he didn’t know what they were because he refused to use a computer or smartphone). You could say he was an original. Brian, aka Dad, Rack, Gub, or B-Bri, will be greatly missed by Carrie, Wendy, Murray and Linda, Zig and many other friends, colleagues, exes and acquaintances he made smile and laugh over the years. Memories, or quotes from Springsteen songs or the Big Lebowski, can be shared on this page. For those so inclined, memorial donations can be made to Operation Smile Canada https://operationsmile.ca/

Brian Lester Ricker

July 17, 1949 - February 27, 2025