Obituary of Florence Christie Ricks

Florence Christie Ricks “Chris”, passed away from cancer on April 26th, 2018, in her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Chris was born on January 21, 1937 in Amarillo, Texas to the late Francis Bell Watson and Charles Cloyd Christie. After completing high school in San Francisco, California, she attended college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she met and married Gary Roland Ricks in 1957. They moved to Santa Barbara, California, where they raised their 8 children.

Chris loved to serve others, doing so in the community and in her local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where she served in many capacities including teaching children, working with the teen organization, and leading the women’s Relief Society for the greater Santa Barbara area. Chris believed in leaving people and places better than she found them, and was often found quietly serving and reaching out behind the scenes to improve and strengthen so many others. She and her husband Gary also served several missions for their church including: New Hampshire, USA, New Delhi, India, and the West Indies. Following the conclusion of their last mission, they relocated to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Chris was an avid gardener and lover of roses, using her green thumb to beautify her home, wherever she lived.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Gary, and their children: Dwight J. Ricks [Marianne], Blake C. Ricks, Rochelle C. McNeil [Scott], Meredith V. Bynum [Scott], Brigham J. Ricks [Melanie], and Reyna L. Malley [Seth]. Two of her sons preceded her in death, Benjamin A. Ricks (1974 at age 1), and Gary R. Ricks, Jr. (2001 at age 41).

We are comforted by the knowledge that her boys were anxiously awaiting her arrival in Heaven. In addition, she leaves behind 26 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and two more on the way. A private family service will be held in her honor.