Leonora VanAtten Rickert

Leonora “Lee” VanAtten Rickert, 83, died early Monday the 8th of May at Brookdale Southgate Senior Living in St. George, Utah, surrounded by family. Born in 1934 in Detroit, Leonora met and married Gordon Benson Rickert of Dickson, Tennessee, the love of her life, at 16. The young couple eventually settled in Dearborn, Michigan where she took an active role in her 3 daughters’ school and extracurricular activities. In 1981, after Gordon’s unexpected death, Leonora took work cleaning houses while she pursued a Computer Science degree at Henry Ford Community College. Upon graduating, she worked at the Regional Educational Service Agency of Wayne County. She retired in 1999. Lee loved old movies, spirited conversation, a good hand of cards, knitting and crocheting, geneology, reading, and writing. Especially writing. She was a driving force in Senior writing groups in Dearborn and Highland, Michigan where she made fast friends and was always ready with an encouraging word. She is survived by her daughters, Kathleen (Ray) Soave of Asheville, North Carolina, Christine (Dave) Allen of St. George, Utah, and Gail (Mark) Remijan of Los Angeles, Californa, nine grandchildren, Michael, Jason, Bryan, Patric, Janae, Kenny, Aaron (deceased), Nicholas, Christopher and Melissa, and their children. There will be a brief visitation at Dickson Funeral Home, 209 E College St., Dickson TN on Monday, May 15 at 9 a.m. followed by a graveside service at Dickson Union Cemetery at 10 a.m. Memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association -- http://www.alz.org.