Rick Schlegel, 67, of Mount Vernon, Ohio died Wednesday evening, Dec. 19, 2018 at his home, surrounded by his wife of 46 years, Mary, his sons Ben and Andrew and his daughter, Guinevere.
Rick left behind six years of pain and paralysis from the monster ALS.
Rick was born on April 21, 1951 to Richard “Pete” Schlegel and Ginny (Diesel) Schlegel. He graduated from Moeller High School, Bowling Green State University, and Washington University, St. Louis with a M.S. in Social Work. He is survived by four siblings and loving family from coast to coast.
As a young Lieutenant, he started his lifelong career as a Drug and Alcohol Officer/counselor at Eglin Air Force Base on the Emerald Coast of Florida. His career lasted 42 years, 30 at the Alcohol and Drug Freedom Center in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Rick’s love of guitar began at 16 and only improved over time. He picked sweet sounds and played for 25 years at the Church of the Holy Spirit at Kenyon College, weddings, funerals, parties and rest homes. He loved to read and was one of the founders of Friends of the Library.
He held every office many times. He also began “Books for Babes”. He and his children shared a love for theater, acting and singing. They had an in house costumer. His last part was a wobbly, musical pirate. He loved tools and woodworking, precision picture framing, rocking horse and toy making. His Cincinnati family owned a wood pattern company. Wood was in his DNA.
He leaves behind three handsome grandsons, his daughter, Gwen (Michael) Steensen, grandsons, Aden, Elias and Oliver will miss “the Grandfather” forever. His sons, Andrew and Ben Schlegel were his anchor. He loved to fish on Long Island Sound each summer always hoping to make it out to “The Race” to land a Blue.
A small lake or pond would do in a pinch. Rick will be missed by his family and friends, by the clients he helped and cared for. He was as his graduate school ring said-a Public Servant, always. He was a storyteller for years at Toastmasters, a teller of jokes to laugh and make others laugh.
We hope the library in heaven has science fiction, mysteries, knights and kings, and brave souls that daily slay life’s dragons. The fisherman has left the shore. The knight has ridden off to help Arthur reglue his Round Table and children go to bed with books and food because good people pull down walls and battle dragons every day.
There will be a family celebration in 2019 on Long Island Sound.
The Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Rick Schlegel.
