HOPEDALE/LOUISVILLE,KY: Richard Francis Hickey, of Louisville, KY, died peacefully on September 23, 2020 at the age of 92. Richard was born January 24, 1928 in Louisville to the late Thomas Joseph Hickey and Theresa Kohler Hickey. He was pre-deceased by his wife Ruth Ann (Lynch). He leaves his son Richard T. Hickey and wife Lisa Tormoen Hickey of Colorado Springs, CO, daughter Kathy A. Carey of Northbridge, MA, son Steven W. Hickey of Colorado Springs, CO, and his sister Thelma Rice of Louisville, KY. He also leaves his grandchildren Brianna C. Gilman and her husband Tyler of Centerville, MA, and Cheyenne E. Carey of Orlando, FL and dozens of beloved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by one sister and six brothers. In their younger years, Richard and Ruth loved to have their date nights at the roller rink (the place they met). In 1950, Richard was drafted into the Army and deployed to Korea, shortly after he met Ruth. They kept their new love alive through a series of letters, and married upon his return. Rich and Ruth had the good fortune to live in multiple beautiful parts of the country, from Louisville, to coastal Florida, to the mountains of Colorado, before returning to their roots in Louisville in 1993. They were happily married for 50 years, until Ruth passed away in 2002. They loved being parents, loved being grandparents even more, and loved each other deeply. Richard was a devoted husband and father who often worked two or even three jobs to support his family. He was very involved in the lives of his children. He especially loved family breakfast on the weekends. His children fondly remember that as teenagers he would knock on their bedroom door and shout, “It’s time to get up, how many eggs do you want?” He also loved the nightly routine of returning home from work to enjoy a hot meal with his family. Richard’s love for his children was carried through to his grandchildren, who remember him as one of the happiest and most fun people of their lives. ‘Papa’ created countless cherished memories with his grandchildren, all the while teaching them to play cards like sharks and to bowl like champions. In his later years, he was perfectly happy to sit and watch a movie (preferably one featuring The Duke, John Wayne), and the rest of the family enjoyed watching with him. In 2008, Richard fulfilled his lifelong dream of visiting the Vatican, and even saw the Pope wave from his balcony. Richard was a devout Catholic and always found peace in his Faith. The thing we will miss most about Richard is his smile. With shining blue eyes, his smile and positivity were infectious. Richard never complained, and always had something positive to share. He was often known to say, “I wake up every day, happy to be alive.” In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, of which Richard was a founding donor. Due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, there will be no immediate services. A Celebration of Life will be planned for the future, when we can all come together to celebrate this wonderful man.