James Denver Rickert ’42 passed away April 10, 2011 just a few days past his 93rd birthday. He was born in Greenville, Penn. on April 2, 1918 to George and Florence Rickert. Jim is survived by his wife of 64 years, Eva, and his sons Jim (Mary), Randy (Debbie), and David (Joel), and daughter Jan (Buck) Anderson. He is also survived by sisters-in-laws Ruth and Elizabeth Rickert and brother-in-law Gil Doss, 9 nephews and nieces, 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brothers Duke and Bud and niece Kay. Jim’s father George moved his young family to California in the early 1920s looking for a better life than he had in Pennsylvania. The family constantly moved throughout California looking for that opportunity, finally settling in Shasta County in the early 1940s. For all of Jim’s life he was part of a family partnership with his wife, father, mother, brothers Duke and Bud and sisters-in-law Ruth and Elizabeth. All that time was spent in the cattle business that included the family cattle ranch in Bella Vista and Rickert Meat Company in Cottonwood. Jim was an All-American basketball center for an outstanding basketball team at Santa Clara University in the early ’40s and is a member of the Santa Clara Sports Hall of Fame. After college he played for a professional basketball team, the Sacramento Senators, and for many years played town team ball in Sutter and Shasta counties. Jim was also very active in community activities. He was a Cottonwood Fire District director for 30 years and as a trustee on the Cottonwood Elementary and Anderson High School districts for over 35 years. Jim loved to work in his garden, gold mining, walking at the ranch with his dogs, playing cards, going to high school basketball/football games, track meets and talking about and being with his family.