Robert Reed Ricks was born February 28, 1939, in Hibbard, Idaho, to Robert Russell Ricks and Opal Huskinson. He passed away at Banner Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona on December 6, 2016 from complications of infectious pneumonia.

Reed was the second of four children born to Bob & Opal Ricks. They were Marilyn, Reed, Bart, and Brent. Reed grew up in Teton Basin, Idaho, and Mesa, Arizona. Summers were spent on the family farm in Newdale, Idaho raising hay and wheat. Reed loved horses and was always riding. During the winter, Reed went to school in Mesa, Arizona. He was active in the FFA, and was FFA president his senior year. He graduated from Mesa High School. Reed attended college at Arizona State University. He went to school with his sweetheart, Nadine Nielson, where they met and dated.


Reed served an LDS mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States Mission. After his mission, he and Nadine resumed dating, and were soon married and sealed in the Mesa, Arizona temple on January 25, 1962. They had nine children together.

After they were married, Reed and Nadine homesteaded and farmed in Basin City, Washington. They later moved the family to Terreton, Idaho and tried dairy farming. In 1974 they moved to Monteview, where they purchased the family farm and Reed's dream ranch on Crooked Creek. They worked together raising kids and beef cattle for 39 years of marriage. Reed loved working cattle, riding horses, baling hay, and working on equipment. Reed sold the ranch and cows in 2001, and purchased more farm ground close to the Monteview farm. In the fall of 2001, Reed lost his sweetheart, Nadine, to a 10 year battle with cancer.


Reed started dating and found romance again. He was married to Margaret "Peggy" Coleman Moody on August 9, 2003, in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were later sealed in the Mesa, AZ Temple on January 2, 2009. They spent their lives together baling hay, going to doctors, and moving between Idaho and Arizona each year. Her children, Luisa, Aimee, Nathan, and Emily have been an added blessing to the family.


Reed has faithfully served in many areas of the church throughout his life. He was bishop in Monteview, Idaho, high councilman, scoutmaster, and gospel doctrine teacher, to name a few. Later in life, Reed and Peggy served two LDS missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first was in Rapid City South Dakota, and the second was in Pine, Arizona. Reed always told his grandchildren that his testimony was one of his highest regarded possessions in this life.

Reed was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Opal Ricks; His step mother, Verla Ward; his younger brother, Bart; his wife, Nadine; his father-in-law, Jay Nielson; his youngest son, Tyler; and grandson, Boone Black. He is survived by his wife, Peggy Ricks, of Monteview, Idaho/Mesa, Arizona; son Wade Ricks of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bonnie (Dave) Lind of Florence, Montana; Becki (Alan) Black of Monteview, Idaho; Wendy (Steve) Worthen of Rexburg, Idaho; Dustin (Rochelle) Ricks of Monteview, Idaho; Will (Angela) Ricks of Monteview, Idaho; Jennifer (Jay) Rice of Swan Valley, Idaho; Liane (Jason) Fuger of Howe, Idaho; Luisa (Tim) Suorsa of Springville, California; Aimee (Matt) Ferre of Sandy, Utah; Nathan (Diana) of Lehi, Utah; Emily (Nick) McIntosh of Mesa, Arizona; many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and step grandchildren; sister Marilyn Presto; brother Brent (Sue) Ricks .

Funeral services will be held at the Terreton Idaho Stake Center, 1297 E. 1500 N. Terreton, Idaho. A viewing will be held on Sunday evening from 6-8 pm at the Stake Center, and again Monday, prior to the funeral, from 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. Funeral service will begin at 11:00. Interment will be at the West Jefferson Memorial Park, in Terreton, Idaho.