Beverly Ricks

Beverly Ricks, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on June 13, 2024 from pulmonary fibrosis. She was 77 years old.

Bev was the first of four children born to Mary aka “Biz” (1928-2013) and John (1925-2009) Blocher. Originally from Somerset County, PA, the family moved often, eventually settling in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, where Bev later married and raised three children. Bev spent much of the 2000s in Maryland and several recent years in Germany to be closer to her children before returning to the Akron area.

Bev earned a BA and MA in English, a post-bac in German, and a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language, all from the University of Akron. She taught at the University of Akron and other local universities, Montgomery College in Maryland, and Project Learn of Summit County. Bev also volunteered for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and Weathervane Playhouse. Bev loved British television and crossword puzzles and hiked frequently until the last year of her life. She loved her children deeply, communicated regularly with her siblings in the western US, and cherished time spent with her family and friends.

Beverly is preceded in death by her parents, John and Biz Blocher, her sister Margaret (“Peggy”) Nowicki (1954-2023), her beloved grandparents, and many aunts and uncles. She is survived by her children Gregory Gadel (Laurene Kordell), Cara Gadel (Michael Baehr), Dennis Gadel (Maria Gadel), grandson Colin Baehr, former spouse and lifelong friend Barry Ricks, brothers Michael Blocher (Laura Blocher) and James Blocher, brother in-law Jerry Nowicki, several nephews, nieces, and many cousins. 

Private services will be held. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made in Beverly's memory to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, (https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org), Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (https://www.komen.org/).