Geneal Ricker, 102, of Keokuk, Dies; Was a World War II Veteran

Keokuk lost one of its World War II veterans on Thursday, when Geneal Ricker passed away at the age of 102.

Keokuk lost one of its World War II veterans on Thursday, when Geneal Ricker passed away at the age of 102.

She had been living at River Hills Village for a number of years.

Ricker was born Jan. 27, 1922, to Ray and Mildred Blan. According to an article about Ricker by Terry Altheide in 2018, her parents were active in the local American Legion.

Ricker joined the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the Naval Reserve during the war. She was a radio operator at the Brooklyn Naval Air Station.

In a 2018 interview with the Daily Gate City, she said she decided to join the Navy because of her father.

“My father was in World War I and that's all he ever talked about,” she said.

In that 2018 interview, she said she thought by joining the armed forces, she would make her father proud.

She said one of the perks of where she was stationed was being able to visit New York City.

“For a hometown girl, that was the thrill of a lifetime,” she said.

She still has a connection to NYC with her granddaughter Taya Ricker being a musician and living there.

After her service, she returned to Keokuk and married Ronald Ricker on Dec. 14, 1947.

According to the Altheide article, their meeting has a story behind it.

Ronald Ricker owned and operated the Meadow Gold Ice Cream Store at 10th and Main streets. Geneal used to babysit her younger sister, Joy, who was 13 years her junior.

Both girls would venture to Ricker's shop for ice cream cones. One day, young Joy slipped off a counter stool and bumped her head. Later on, Ronald called to see if she was all right.

That was the start of a relationship that lasted for 49 years and produced two sons and a daughter.

Ronald Ricker, also a Navy veteran, passed away July 5, 2006.

Ricker along with fellow World War II veteran Phyllis Miller, who passed away in November 2018 at the age of 94, were honored in the 2018 Keokuk Labor Day Parade.

In a 2023 interview celebrating four centenarians at River Hills, Ricker, then 101, said she always loved to meet new people and learn about them. She also mentioned she liked to go fishing and often used various means to get her dad to take her fishing with him.

Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk is handling funeral arrangements, which were pending as of Thursday.