Ricky Marvin Vandermeer of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Monday morning, May 7, 2012, at his home in Blackwell at the age of sixty with his family in attendance.

Ricky Marvin Vandermeer was born on December 5, 1951, in Wichita, Kansas, to Eugene Francis and Marilyn Deloris (Englestad) Vandermeer. He grew up in Wichita and graduated from Wichita Heights High School in 1970. He served six years in the Air National Guards at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita as a jet engine mechanic.

On January 1, 1971, he began Rick's Texaco on Interstate 35 and Highway 11 and owned and operated the station for thirty years.

He married Alice Mae Coltharp on September 16, 1972, in Blackwell and they settled in Braman later moving to Blackwell.

They later opened Texaco Travel Mart in 1993 on the opposite side of the Interstate and in 2001 consolidated the two entities. They also served Blackwell and the surrounding area as the local U-Haul dealership of thirty-five years. In 2004 they moved the business into Blackwell on North Main Street. One year ago he purchased the Discount Tire building and changed the name to Rick's Service Center and Discount Tire.

He was a member of the Blackwell Jaycees where he served as chairman for the helicopter landing site committee for Blackwell Regional Hospital. He was awarded by the local Jaycee chapter a governorship for the Oklahoma State Jaycees. Other memberships include the Trinity Lutheran Church and the Elk's Lodge in Blackwell.

He enjoyed hunting, playing golf and family, especially his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Vandermeer of Blackwell; his mother, Marilyn Vandermeer of Braman; a daughter, Lisa Ann Kahle and husband Jake of Blackwell; a son, Eric Wade Vandermeer and wife Misty of Blackwell; three sisters, Vicki Ingram and husband Gerry of Braman, Julie Bishop of Braman, and Linda Rhea and husband Kurt of Wichita, Kansas; six grandchildren, Kori Dahn, Dalton Garret, Kira Nichole, Johnathan Wade, Jaquen Allen and Jaeger Vischer; and a great grandson, Brayden Thomas.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Thursday, May 10th in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Blackwell with the Rev. Ned Moerbe of the Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Casketbearers will be Sean Ingram, Lonnie Ingram, Brandon Bishop, Terry Coltharp, Tracy Coltharp, Brad Brown, Rob Dean and Dr. Alan R. Dean Jr. The grandchildren will serve as honorary casketbearers.

A memorial has been established in his honor with Hospice of North Central Oklahoma or Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation for cancer research in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.