Ricki Lee Rekow

Ricki Lee Rekow 36 of Ellendale, ND passed away June 25, 2023 at her home. She loved unconditionally, spoke without a filter and felt exctly like sunshine. Fireworks came early in 1986 when Ricki Vasvick was born July 3 to Larry and Karen (Hatzenbeller) Vasvick in Aberdeen, South Dakota. After seven years in Modesto, Calfornia, they made their permanent home in Ellendale, North Dakota where Ricki graduated from Ellendale Public School in 2005. Ricki was united in marriage to Brandon Rekow on December 27, 2008 during an epic snow storm. They ventured to North Carolina where Ricki made several lifelong friends as she did everywhere she went. Ellendale was always their home, and they returned in 2011. Brandon and Ricki were blessed with two sons, Carter Gerald and Cashton Kenneth who were the lights of her life. She thanked God every day for Him choosing her to be their Mama Bear, a role she took very seriously. Over almost fifteen years of crazy wedded bliss, they added to their family with all sorts of animals. It was never surprising to receive a video of the most recent adventure picking up a llama or her cab loaded to the roof with goats. At the end of each video, she would show her smiling husband as she giggled with appreciation for his constant accommodations to her funny farm dream. Following her passion of caring for people, Ricki attended Northland Community College where she completed her nursing degree. Her patients appreciated her savvy blood draw skills and impeccable bedside manner. If one entered her room sad, she always made it better. Many patients became her dear friends. Ricki was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend to so many. One of her proudest titles was Auntie to Landry, Lindley and Levi. She gave generously and showered them and all other children with gifts and love. Everyone has a Ricki story. She would want them to be shared with great laughter. Making others laugh was her love language. She adored and appreciated her hardworking husband. She believed he could do all things and often signed him up for many without permission. She was proud to work by his side from pushing the sprint car out to helping manage Top Notch Repair. With her uncanny ability to avoid speeding tickets, she believed she should be running that sprint car. To know Ricki was to know laughter and feel joy. She was always up for adventure, causing shenanigans and seeking thrills. Ricki was that person…the one you could call any second of any day, and she would be right by your side. She might also call with a “Hey! Grab a scissors and get outside…” to carry out a prank on somone she loved. No task was too big. If something needed to be done, all knew to call Ricki and it would be handled. Although it was not her favorite F word, she was fierce. She loved fiercely. Everyone appreciated the hilarious Christmas family photos and a heart bigger than the sky without any filter for her mouth. She would tell us to wipe our tears and go rummage saling. Blessed beyond measure to have shared her life are her husband Brandon and sons Carter and Cashton, her parents Larry and Karen Vasvick, Outlaws Jerry and Brenda Rekow, Grandparents Kenneth and Rachel Kellogg, sister Erin, brothers Wade (Kierra) Vasvick and Kyle Vasvick, sister-in-law Bridget (Jason) Bennett, nephews Landry and Levi and niece Lindley, Soul sister Jill Field, cousins, aunts, uncles and an endless number of friends that she loved and called her family. She will truly be missed by her fur baby Pepper-doodle and the rest of her funny farm babies along with every person who knew her. She is preceded in death by her grandparents Ted and Monica Hatzenbeller, Leonard and Marie Vasvick, grandparents-in-law Jeanette Toepke and Karl Rekow and many beloved pets.

 

Arrangements by Hoven Funeral Chapel, Ellendale.