Obituary of Richard R. Ruzicka

Ruzicka, Richard R. "Dick", 83, of St. Petersburg, FL went to the Lord on December 19, 2019. Dick was born in Chicago on November 21, 1936 to Edmund J. Ruzicka and Helen M. (Rapp) Ruzicka. He graduated from St. Michaels School in Wheaton in 1950, then Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst in 1954. Dick spent his early years in Warrenville, IL delivering newspapers and working in his father's Warrenville Drug Store. After high school, he enrolled in Pharmacy School at Creighton University in Omaha, NE graduating with a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1958. Dick married Sarah Maguire in Omaha, NE on April 18, 1959.  Dick and Sarah raised one daughter, Elizabeth, and one son, Philip.  Elizabeth and Philip each currently operate Promotional Products companies in Illinois and Florida. Dick and Sarah's travels took them to 14 countries for racing, missionary work, and touring. In an article that was written about Dick, he stated "Many runners say running and racing are not very important to them. No doubt about it, they are important to me. However, first in my life is serving Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Second is my family".  Dick was preceded in death by his parents and his grandparents, James and Mary Ruzicka and George and Mary Rapp. Dick is survived by his faithful and longsuffering wife of 60 years, Sarah; daughter, Elizabeth (Eric) Withaar; son, Philip (Faith) Ruzicka; grandchildren, Raven Withaar, Emily Withaar, Taylor Tessitore, Teagan Nunn and Christian and Cannon Ruzicka; sisters, Mary Ellen (Walter) Hatcher and Clare (August) Imholtz and brothers, Gerald (Cindy) and Ed (Renee) Ruzicka.