Loretta Rickey

Graveside services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 21, at Twin Oaks Memorial Park for Loretta Vera Rita Rickey of Hobbs, New Mexico.

Mrs. Rickey, 85, died Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at Lea Regional Hopsital in Hobbs, New Mexico.

Visitation will be at Terpening Son Mortuary Thursday beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Rita was born September 22, 1928 in Jal, New Mexico the daughter of Clarence Johnson and Stella White Johnson. She grew up in Ft. Stockton and Midland, Texas before coming to Artesia in 1959. Then in 1998 she moved to Hobbs.

She was married three times, the last being on July 1, 1960 to Howard Bernard Rickey in Artesia, N.M. They were married for 48 years before he preceded her in death March 26, 2008. She was also preceded in death by her parents daughter Denise Yvonne Rickey sister Lois Burleson and brother Foy Johnson.

Rita was very active in Little League Baseball in Artesia for over thirty years and ran the concession stand at the fields for approximately ten years. She and her husband were also foster parents for a short time. She was best known for her bookkeeper and income tax service which she continued to own for many years after moving to Hobbs. Her hobbies included doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and reading romance novels. Her favorite thing to do every day was eating at Furrs Cafeteria with her friends. She continued to eat there until her health started to fail.

Survivors include her son Wayne Derrick of Artesia daughters M. Gail Brayton and husband David of Texas, and Phyllis Reams and husbnad Robert of Hobbs grandchildren Chad Brayton of Texas, and Cody and Shelbi Reams of Hobbs.