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Dear '66 Classmates,
Jeff Lucas got a call from the assisted living facility that Rick Leaman passed away this morning from COVID-19. Rick was diagnosed 10 days ago and had been on a ventilator. He passed away peacefully with his hospice caretaker by his side; the facility was in lock-down. Heart-felt thanks Jeff and Libby Lucas who got Rick the help he needed several years ago and have been his guardian angels ever since. You became Rick's family and gave him love, care and guidance for many years.
Many of us sang in church and school choirs with Rick from age 3 through senior year. He was a great musician. Randy Hall, Lou Reeve, Mark Sutterley, and Rick formed the band, The Missing Links, and played at events around Haddonfield with Rick as lead guitar senior year. Randy commented, "We used to spend hours figuring out the right chords and George Harrison's lead guitar part to every song we played. And he and I would figure out the harmony parts just perfectly. This is truly the end of an era for me! I am weeping and smiling all at once. Thanks, Jeff, to you and Libby for watching over our friend for all these years. You are certainly to be blessed forever for your kindness."
Josh Gitomer added these thoughts about Jeff Lucas' care of Rick over the years. "Knowing you as closely and as well as I have in all our years together, I’m sure your thought was something along the line of: 'Well, this is obviously what needs to be done, and I'm happy to do it.' But to us on the outside, I will say: What a glorious, humane and loving service you & Libby so selflessly gave for years. I have no doubt that the two of you will ride to heaven on Rick's broad shoulders."
Rick and his oldest daughter Kim
No details have been provided regarding a service or obituary, but I will send out additional information as it becomes available.
Vicki Meece Knowles
https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/courierpostonline/196322144
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Vicki Meece (Knowles)
Here is the url for a recording of Rick and his oldest daughter Kim Leaman singing Mother Nature's Son. Hoping this works. Also, Nelson sent this picture of Rick at Nelson's and Kathy's wedding in 1970. Many thanks, Nelson, for your early involvement helping Rick get support and also for visiting with him and singing. I know he loved it.
https://soundcloud.com/kimleamanmusic/mother-natures-son-cover
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
Rick's beautiful daughters: Kathy, Chelsea, and Kim Leaman. The girls are very appreciative of your comments about their dad and love the pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Nelson Widell
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
From Jeff Lucas: Rick loved seeing this home room picture. Especially showing him in his tennis sweater. (Unfortunately I can't get this to turn upright.)
Nelson Widell
Nelson Widell
Jeff Lucas,
Actually, I would characterize Rick's sweater as a "Brothers Four" sweater. He loved the folk music of the Brothers Four and they wore these kind of sweaters and I know that was what who he was emulating.
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
Mark Sutterley sent this great memory to Jeff Lucas and gave me permission to add it to our website. - Vicki
Hi Jeff and Libby:
If there’s time at Rick’s Memorial you might share the following on my behalf.
Rick was the first and only Guitar God I actually knew. I’m still awestruck at how quickly Rick could play back a song note for note, chord for chord after hearing it only a few times. This allowed our little HS band to have a broad playlist of any Rolling Stones, Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds song that was popular at the time.
Fast forward 6 years later when I was in the MBA program at Ohio State. It was my first semester and I gave a presentation to my Economics class about how the “Lindenwold Line” was going to revolutionize Mass Transit. I also mentioned that I had taken the “train controlled by a computer” from my hometown of Haddonfield to Philadelphia. One of my classmates, a “Rob Seitz” said in a loud voice as I finished taking questions from classmates and the Professor “If you’re from Haddonfield I wonder if you know Rick Leaman?” my response “Sure, we were in a Rock Band in high school together”. Seitz then exclaims in a louder voice for all to hear “My God you must be so talented to be in a Rock Band with Rick Leaman!! We were Fraternity Brothers at Wittenberg and everyone knows he’s the best musician around”. Thankfully the Professor (and I think everyone at Ohio State) heard the comment for I got an “A” in course which I attribute more to Rick and Seitz boosting my reputation than my academic skills.
Looking back on those years, it was my honor and pleasure to be on stage with Rick at a time in my life when I didn’t have too much going for me. It was Rick who pressed me to overcome my stage fright and join The Missing Links and gulp, “sing in front of the whole high school” which went well. From there we played at Legion on Friday nights and a few other gigs. That experience helped give me the confidence to make presentations in my college classes at Ohio State, in front of groups in my business career and today, in front of 100 students in my Rutgers courses as a Full Time faculty member.
Thanks Rick for pulling me into the band. My life could have been much, much different without your support and talent that helped put me on a positive path in life. Rest in Peace and I’ll be joining you someday in that Rock Band in the sky.
With fond memories and deep appreciation,
Sutt
Nelson Widell
Nelson Widell
Jeff and Libby Lucas and I attended the memorial service in Westfield, NJ today for our dear friend and classmate, Rick Leaman hosted by his sister, Pam, and her husband Doug Chase. RIP, Rick.
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
Jeff Lucas forwarded this photo from Rick's daughter, Kim. Rick and Kim were at a recording studio in Vermont when it was taken.