Richard John Batchelor (Rick) passed away on March 20, 2025, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Rick leaves to cherish his memory his wife Cheryl; daughter Jessie Kendall (Tim); son Graham (Karlee); and four grandsons Nate, Drew, Grady and Archer. He also leaves to mourn many people who loved him including brothers (in-law); sisters-in-law; nieces; nephews; cousins; and friends.

Rick was born August 5, 1954, to Margaret and Norman, and grew up on Henderson Highway in Winnipeg. Rick attended elementary and junior high in East Kildonan before graduating from Miles Macdonell Collegiate. During his additional years of high school, he managed to meet the love of his life Cheryl and if it weren’t for her – he would probably still be there.

Rick spent countless hours in the curling club. First watching his dad and then joining his own junior team. Curling provided him with a lifelong hobby and lifelong friends. Rick started his first job, the produce section/bag boy at Safeway in 1971, followed by his 42-year career as a locksmith. He retired from Active Lock and Key in 2020. In his years as a locksmith, he met many colleagues and friends that he kept long after he retired. Rick and Cheryl were married in the fall of 1977 and went on to have his two children Jessie and Graham, becoming a Papa for the first time in 2008.

Over the years, Rick had many hobbies and collections including magazines, die cast cars, vintage radios and other random collectibles. He had a love of puttering, building and renovating their Transcona home of 48 years. Rick was a Mr. Fix-it and if he didn’t know how, he would figure it out. The stocks in Duct Tape where never higher than when Rick was around. He and Cheryl loved taking their kids on family adventures travelling, camping and enjoyed pulling his kids behind the boat down the Bird River.

Rick’s love of muscle cars started at a young age. In his later years he was able to find a 1969 Dodge Dart, like the one he had as a teenager. In retirement, Rick was proud to say that the car saw 37 states on the way to their winter home in Arizona and spent their summers cruising on Sunday night with his car friends. Most important to Rick was his family. He loved anything that involved spending quality time; going to band concerts, sporting events and concerts with his own kids and continued that love with his grandsons. There were many nights spent watching movies, dinners or playing board games with his family. He thought nothing of dropping whatever he was doing to take the phone call to help his kids with home projects or driving to and from airports, appointments or when you ran out of gas.

Although Rick died of pancreatic cancer, in lieu of flowers we would like donations to be made to Palliative Care Manitoba in his name. The staff at Palliative Care Manitoba provided incredible kindness and support to us during this difficult time.

The family invites relatives and friends to a come-and-go celebration on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 1-4 pm in the Event Hall at Dakota Community Centre. Arrangements have been entrusted to Transcona Cremation and Funeral Services.