Ricky L. Popken

January 30, 1953 - July 31, 2019

Ricky L. Popken Elm Creek Resident Ricky L. Popken, 66, of Elm Creek passed away on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 surrounded by his family at his home in Elm Creek. Memorial services will be held at noon on Sunday, August 25, 2019 at the Elm Creek Park. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Ricky Lynn Popken was born on January 30, 1953 in Peoria, Illinois to Larry and Carole (Haines) Popken. He received his education from East High School in Sioux City, Iowa and went on to continue his education at University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota and Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. On October 21, 1972 Ricky was united in marriage to Donna Hoing and to this union three children were born: Rae Terese, Joy, and Cody. The couple later separated. On November 1, 2007 Ricky was united in marriage to Elizabeth Kister in Crystal River, Florida. Ricky worked as a laborer for Tyson Foods for over thirty years until pursuing one of his lifelong dreams of being a chef at his own restaurant. Ricky always liked to keep himself busy. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, woodworking, crocheting and cooking. Ricky loved to have people over to cook for them and entertain them. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Elizabeth Popken of Elm Creek; daughter, Joy Gray and her husband, Jerrod of Lexington; son, Cody Popken and his wife, Brandy of Lexington; step-sons, Michael Bray and his wife, Angela of Kearney and Douglas Bray and his wife, Tori of Ada, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Kamryn Pike, Kinley Popken and Declan Gray; step-grandchildren, Sky Dewey and Holden, Adyen, Jace, Hendrix, Indica and Ash Bray; brother, Chris Popken and his wife, Kristi of Sioux City, IA; sisters, Jennifer DeRoos and her husband, Thomas of Gretna, Vicki Niblo and her husband, Mark of Blue Springs, MO, Nancy Redding of Nevada and Sherry Sparks and her husband, Perry of Iowa City, IA; along with many other relatives and friends. Ricky was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Rae Terese Popken in 1973; and his father-in-law, John A. Kister.