Ricky Dean Imel

Ricky Dean Imel, 59, born on October 5, 1963 in Tulia, Texas passed away on January 13, 2023 at his home in Ithaca, New York. In Ricky younger days he lived in Oklahoma. Ricky was a "jack of all trades". Some of the things Ricky applied his hand to was machinery, maintained, home remodeling and repair, management of peers, and many other things. Later in Ricky’s life he was a delivery driver for the Ithaca Journal. A notable trait to be admired about Ricky is that he did everything to the fullest and always gave it his all. Ricky was devoted to his wife, Jolene Imel. Ricky and Jolene were married on March 29, 2012. Ricky and Jolene were inseparable. Anytime someone would see one of them somewhere, it was a sure thing they would see the other. Ricky was a lover of all sports, for example football and basketball. Ricky enjoyed music, cooking, and fishing to name a few things. A few examples of Ricky character and the type of person he was is shown in the two small life stories to follow: 

1) Ricky’s wife Jolene loves riding amusement park rides. Although Ricky did not ride the rides, he made sure to take his wife. Ricky would laugh and smile so much just seeing his wife enjoy those rides. 

2) Ricky took his daughter fishing when she was around 5 years old. Ricky’s daughter was upset because she had not caught a fish. So, when Ricky's daughter wasn't looking, Ricky put a small fish on the end of her line. Ricky and his daughter shared in the moment of excitement and joy and his daughter reeled in her first fish she "caught". 

Ricky was preceded in death by his mother Glenda Imel and both of his mother’s parents, his paternal grandfather John Edward Imel and grandmother Lucile Imel. 

Ricky’s surviving family members includes his wife Jolene Imel, son Ricky Dean Imel Jr., daughter Catherine Kennedy, father Gerald Imel and his wife Mary Imel, sister Debbie Downey, sister Vicky Ries, sister Teresa Simmons, brother Donald Hudson, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, brother in laws, sister in laws, and many friends.

There is a small private viewing being held at Bang Funeral Home in Ithaca, New York on Monday January 16, 2023 at 10:00am. Online condolences may be made to Ricky’s family at www.bangsfuneralhome.com.

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