That’s how I introduced Rick to friends, despite his being a head and a half taller than myself I still thought of him as my little brother. His real name wasn’t Rick, either. His real name was Ricky. Not short for Richard, but, Ricky. That was my fault.
Mom asked me what I thought the name of my not-yet-born brother should be.
I answered without hesitation, Ricky.
I know, I’m sorry. That name was on my mind because we watched the Ozzie & Harriet show every week. I thought Ricky Nelson was cool. He was a little older than me, plus he played guitar. Like many eight-year-olds across the nation, I was impressed.
Strangely, Mom and Dad went along with it.
Ricky stayed Ricky until Jr. High School. Thereafter he was Rick. By the time Rick was in Jr. High, I was working, and out on my own.
I remember best, the earliest years we spent time together - and the latest years we spent time together. In the years between we didn’t see much of each other.
I was eight years old, or thereabouts, when Rick was born. I haven’t any memory of Rick as either infant or toddler. I was probably busy elsewhere, out ramblin’ ‘round.
My memory of Rick started around the time he started walking. We were too many years apart to have the same interests - except for one odd exception. Ricky liked to play in costume; I liked to make things. I remember making costumes for him out of whatever stuff I could find.
What else. Don’t remember. I think I lost interest after the costumes were finished, at least I’ve no recollection beyond the costumes.
Clockwise: Ricky as Indian, Ricky as Lone Ranger, Michie, Me, and Rickie as Cowboy.
In the years after we moved to Ohio, Ricky and I spent less and less time together. I was much too busy being a teenager, besides, Ricky was making friends his own age. A few years after that, Ricky, became, Rick, and I was moving out on my own.
In the many years thereafter, Rick and I mostly got together only for special occasions like Christmas or family get-togethers. Our sister, Rhonda, more than made-up for my absence.
I worked at the Educational Research Council for nearly fifteen years, then followed that with many years more at several advertising agencies, including my own. Rick, during all those years, was going to college, building a career, starting a business, and getting married.
We didn’t have much contact during those years. There were exceptions.
One day, when Rick was still in college, he called me on the phone. He had no way of knowing I’d swallowed a square of blotter acid an hour before the phone rang. I was in no shape to answer the phone.
For some unaccountable reason, I did.
Rick was very upset; more so than I ever imagined he could be upset. I struggled to understand the problem. I can only recall fragments of the conversation . . . something about death . . . his girlfriend . . . an accident . . . something else? I didn’t understand.
Rick was likely too overcome by grief to notice I didn’t understand.
Now, I do understand. Rick’s girlfriend had committed suicide. Some thought it was perhaps because of some unknown pressure at Medical school. No one really knows why anyone commits suicide.
I did know that I’d not been there for my brother. I’m still sorry about that.
If time doesn’t heal, it at least, moves on.
Rick went to Case Western Reserve on a full scholarship. He specialized in chemical engineering, graduating with full honors. No one was surprised. If there was one word that summarized Rick it would be: comprehensive.
He gave meticulous measure to whatever he was about.
I think he was born that way.
One day, Mom & Dad went to visit him at his first job in Michigan where he was working for the Dow Chemical Company. They said all his canned-goods were neatly arranged with categorical labeling and backup extras for each item.
Some might think that excessive. Rick thought it perfectly proper and natural.
Back in those days I suspected Mom and Dad committed excessive effort in making sure Rick grew up flawless - because they didn’t want to end up with another miscreant like myself.
I suspected wrong. Rick was incapable of being any other than his natural self.
In 1978 Rick transferred himself from Dow-Michigan to Dow-Texas, because he fancied buying a beach house on the gulf coast of Texas. A co-worker at Dow-Texas, Erich Bredl helped him find just such a house. Erich and Rick became friends.
Erich broke off from Dow in 1978 to form his own company: Intrepid Industries, Inc. Shortly after, Erich asked Rick to join him as his partner in the new business.
It was the beginning of an era. Intrepid Industries was a howling success.
Dow Chemical lost two employees only to gain a new customer.
Everything made by Intrepid Industries was made from a special plastic, ISP, made only by Dow Chemical. ISP is impervious to wind, rain, sun, and nearly indestructible.
Rick recognized the saleable possibilities for this kind of plastic in the rough use typical of safety components needed in chemical, industrial and oil refinery installations.
Rick designed several products made from Dow’s magical plastic. Paramount among them is the Intrepid Industries Safety Gate. The Intrepid Safety Gate is self-closing and lasts indefinitely. It was one of Rick’s first designs.
It remains a best seller.
Erich and Rick giving a visitors tour of Intrepid to inquiring clients.
Developing distributorships In Europe, Canada, Singapore, and Australia was Rick’s other significant contribution to the success of Intrepid Industries, Inc.
Somehow in the middle of all this success Rick got luckier and married Minnette Christensen. After the wedding, they bought a cozy house in nearby Angleton, TX and began their life together. The future looked perfect.
Then it didn’t. Erich decided to move the business to Pasadena TX. because Pasadena was closer to the port of Houston. Rick became discouraged with the everyday hour and half drive to work. He resigned Intrepid. It was an unhappy parting for both Erich and Rick.
Shortly after, Rick signed-on to MHMR (Mental Health and Mental Retardation department of Southeast Texas) where he worked for the next seven years - with the same dedication he had devoted to Intrepid.
By 1990, Intrepid business was growing so fast Erich realized he needed more help.
He approached Rick to see if he wanted to return.
Rick accepted.
The years rolled on and all went well until Rick got sick.
Rick’s last months were tortuous. It started in April of 2015 with a mysterious illness that left him increasingly weaker. Minnette went from one doctor to another, and from one clinic to another in futile search of healing. It was exhausting.
My sister Rhonda traveled to Texas for the finale few weeks to help anyway she could.
It became a hopeless journey of deterioration that ended with Rick’s death in 2016, on the eleventh day of August. He was 64 years old.
My little brother did an enormous amount of good in those 64 years. He was appreciated by everyone he met and he made a point of staying in touch with all of them, even friends from childhood. I’m sure each one wanted to be at his funeral - but they couldn’t.
I couldn’t be there either, but I wrote a eulogy. So did Erich Bredl.
Erich’s eulogy for Rick ended with these words: “Rick was much more than my business partner and friend. Rick made me a better person”.
Perfect.
Rick & Minnette
Eulogy for my brother, Rick Shipley – K.L. Shipley 8/11/2016
God often seems to take the best of us too soon. It may be a blessing; from God; a reward of early release from this world of so many troubles.
If so, I believe my brother earned that blessing. He was liked and respected by everyone who ever met him. He had a sunny outlook that radiated warmth and light wherever he went.
He was good in a way not many of us are – consistently.
Just last fall he wrote, and delivered, a sermon about gratitude. Rick took gratitude very seriously. So should we all.
I’m grateful to have such a wonderful soul for my brother. I will miss him until we are together again in Heaven. I’m sure his wife, Minnette, and all our family and friends feel the same.
We can honor Rick’s memory best by doing as he did.
Suffer our sorrows with grace, Do good whenever we can. Be grateful for the blessings we have.
That’s what Rick would like.
God bless you all.