Richard “Ricky” Salmonsen Obituary
Richard B. Salmonsen Jr., a loving father, husband, grandfather, friend, storyteller, and lifelong jokester, passed away on November 7th surrounded by family. Better known as Ricky, he was born on July 17, 1957 in Worcester, MA and attended St. John’s Preparatory School, College of the Holy Cross, and Boston College. While at Holy Cross, Ricky met his wife, Dianne, a fellow struggling chemistry major, the very first day of freshman year. After earning his masters degree in chemistry, Rick tapped into his entrepreneurial spirit before excelling as a medical salesman for 30+ years.
Ricky had a larger than life personality which was shared with his family and friends. A natural storyteller, Ricky was known for making everyone around him laugh so hard they cried, recounting the same funny stories (some a bit embellished) over and over again and reciting stats from high school basketball games played 20+ years prior.
Some of his favorite pastimes included coaching his kids’ youth sports teams, spending hours in his beautiful garden, enjoying Tonno’s bluefin tuna and sipping on Grand Marnier margaritas. He loved kayaking around Cape Ann, watching Hallmark Christmas movies (sometimes out of season) and rocking in his La-Z-Boy with his best friend and grandson Bodie.
Ricky was a lifelong sports fan and attended as many Boston sports games and Masters Tournaments as possible. He enjoyed reading the sports page of the Globe (and only the sports page), waiting in the longest of lines for sports tickets, golfing with his friends and teaching his kids to ski. His favorite teams included the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, and whichever teams his kids were on. Ricky made sure he was in the sea of green as the duck boats made their way down Cambridge St. celebrating banner #18.
An avid gardener, he was particularly fond of hellebores, shasta daisies, rose of sharon, gazanias and his impressive collection of lace cap and limelight hydrangeas. A favorite pastime was cruising Stacy Boulevard with his family and their dog Monty to enjoy the dahlias planted by the Generous Gardeners. His memory will live on with his gorgeous year-round perennial garden and carefully chosen rocks from his favorite beaches.
Over the past 4.5 years, Ricky displayed remarkable courage, determined to embrace every precious moment. He celebrated three of his children’s weddings and held his grandson for the first time—milestones he proudly experienced. Despite the pain and suffering cancer caused, these joyful moments gave him strength to keep going, forever inspiring his family.
While in hospice, Ricky developed a love for singing and songwriting, a new talent appreciated by all within ear shot. His songs became a gift not only to his family and long-time friends but also to the compassionate team at Kaplan House, who shared in his laughter and conversation through some of his most challenging days.
Though Ricky faced numerous obstacles over the past several years, one thing remained constant: his deep love for his family. His essence—full of humor and warmth—left an indelible mark on everyone he met. Even in the face of hardship, Ricky’s ability to create meaningful connections and lasting memories was a testament to his unique spirit.
Ricky’s legacy is one of love, laughter, and resilience. He will be remembered not just for the challenges he overcame, but for the way he touched the lives of those around him, leaving a lasting impact on everyone he met. Rick was predeceased by his parents Pat and Dick and his beloved dog Monty. He is survived by his wife Dianne, his children Breezy (husband Reuben and son Bodie), KK, Mycala (husband Zach), and Woody (wife Meghan); his siblings, Cathy (Gary) Adkison, Mark (Nancy) Salmonsen, Steven (Mary) Salmonsen, and Julie (Jack) Jones; brother-in-law Bill (Colleen) Wood and his nieces and nephews.
Ricky’s Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 21st at the Elks at Bass Rocks – Atlantic Room – in Gloucester, MA from 1-4pm. We will share stories and enjoy some of Ricky’s favorite foods & drinks. No formal dress or black please; Ricky loved sweatpants and casual clothes so come in comfy & colorful wear. All who love our dad are welcome to come!
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions be made in Ricky’s name to the Generous Gardeners of Gloucester and the Kaplan Family Hospice House of Danvers.