FORT COLLINS — Timothy Alan Rickett, 49, died Thursday after fighting pancreatic cancer for 11 years.
was known not just for his strength, but his sense of humor, and challenged his clients, co-workers and family to reach beyond their limits. In May 2011, while undergoing chemotherapy, Rickett set a world record for the masters 165-pound class raw bench press at 308 pounds.
Tim and Julie Rickett were married 23 years and have one daughter, Jacque, 16. Julie Rickett recalled the first time she saw her future husband: “I was 15, riding my bike and he turned and flashed me that famous Tim Rickett grin. I was a shy girl, and like so many people in our community, I owe my confidence and strength to Tim.”
He arranged his work schedule so that he could be home when his daughter and his wife, a teacher, got home from school. He never missed Jacque’s performances, even attempting to ice skate with her for a father-daughter event.
He loved cooking as much as lifting weights, said Julie Rickett, and never allowed their frequent guests to bring food to the man cave he called “Tim’s Tavern,” where he served his famed teriyaki chicken, meatballs and tacos.
His older brother Michael Rickett, also a trainer and fitness expert, says another of his brother’s passions was football — playing and watching: “He was the fastest, meanest guy on the field, but there was one problem: He was only 5-foot-6. He was always the smallest, so he became the strongest.”
Fellow trainer Eric Beattie, 23, called Rickett “the life of the weight room. He was strong for someone without cancer, let alone for someone with cancer,” said Beattie, who had cancer as a child and visited Rickett in the hospital. “He didn’t want people going in there to say goodbye, so the last thing I said was, ‘I’ll see you at the club.’ “
Rickett is survived by his wife Julie and daughter Jacque of Fort Collins; sister Debra Smith, niece Kaleena Sawyer (Brian), nephew Kyle Smith (Brittany) of North Carolina; brother Michael Rickett of Fort Collins; parents-in-law Ken and Mary Seaman of Fort Collins; brother-in-law Brian Seaman of Iowa; sister-in-law and niece, Erin and Stella Seaman of California.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Norma Rickett, brother-in-law Johnnie Smith and brother-in-law Nick Seaman.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Timberline Church, 2908 S. Timberline Road, Fort Collins.
Memorial contributions can be made to RamStrength, 2221 Baldwin Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80528. Send online condolences via .
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440, kbrowning@denverpost.com or twitter.com/krisbb
