LEVERETT:  Harold (Hal) Sewall Ricker died June 13, 2024, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., from complications of pneumonia and dementia. He was born October 27, 1931, in Worcester, Mass., the son of Chester Sewall Ricker of Worcester and Elisabeth Clark Pomeroy Ricker of Longmeadow. He grew up on the family poultry farm in Northborough, Mass., graduating in 1949 from Northborough High School.

In 1949 he began studies at the University of Massachusetts. A couple years later Hal enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, supporting B-47 Stratojets at Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Ga., as part of the Strategic Air Command, with brief deployments to Morocco. During his USAF time he earned an associate degree from Armstrong College of Savannah, studying during the night shift while waiting for planes to come in. Following honorable discharge, Hal returned to UMass Amherst, as it is now known. Both parents had graduated from there in the 1920s in its Mass Aggie days. Hal graduated with a bachelor’s degree in poultry science in 1959 and went on to earn a master’s degree in agricultural economics in 1961, all thanks to the G.I. Bill. He then earned a doctorate in agricultural economics from The Ohio State University in 1964.

Hal married Judith Ann Hankinson in 1962 in Leverett, Mass., having met while both were students at UMass. They just missed celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary on June 16, 2024. They have three sons: Andrew Sewall Ricker, born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1964 now of Centennial, Colo., married to Linda Ricker; son Robert Hankinson Ricker born in Upper Darby, Pa., in 1966 now of Annapolis, Md. married to Monique Ricker; and son Douglas Harold Ricker born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., in 1970 now of Seattle, Wash., married to Claudine Hansen. He is survived by his wife Judy Ricker, sons Andy, Bob and Doug, and Andy’s children (Hal and Judy’s grandchildren): Kathleen Elisabeth Ricker and Timothy Sewall Ricker, both of Denver. He is survived as well by sisters Dorothy Ricker Brower (William) of Penney Farms, Fla., and Marian Ricker Calendrillo (Paul) of Miami, Fla., and numerous nieces and nephews.  His older sister Elisabeth Ricker O’Brien predeceased him.

Following Ohio State, Hal joined the faculty of the newly established Academy of Food Marketing at Saint Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1964. In 1970 Hal went on to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, first in Beltsville, Md., then entirely in Washington, D.C. His first project evaluated the feasibility of placing universal product codes on grocery products. That particular early prototype bore a bull’s eye design.

He headed a number of programs at USDA. His work culminated in the 1996 publication of the first National Organic Standards, in collaboration with the National Organic Standards Board (created in 1992). Throughout his USDA career, he visited 49 states—all but Alaska. He was president of the Food Distribution Research Society. In addition, he was a lecturer at the University of Maryland. Hal’s office in the giant USDA building was at one end of the National Mall near the famous cherry trees and a Metro subway stop, yet he disembarked at Union Station at the opposite corner of the Mall and walked the considerable distance to his building. In Beltsville, Md., Hal pitched in as a Boy Scout leader including Scoutmaster, seeing sons Bob and Doug and many others through to Eagle rank.

Hal and Judy retired to Leverett in 1997, near UMass, Judy’s family, and his other New England-based family. They built a new home on family land and equipped it with a ground-source heating and cooling geothermal system—Hal’s choice. The New England spot got them closer to their Lake Winnipesaukee cottage where loons beckoned. Hal, along with sons, nephews, and neighbor kids hiked New Hampshire mountains and scavenged for low-growing wild blueberries. Hal and Judy joined the Leverett Congregational Church where Hal served as treasurer, sang in the choir, and pitched in on work party tasks. In choir he was a subtle tenor. At home he sang—not hymns or other logical choices, but frequent iterations of “Sing Along with Mitch” (Miller) found on numerous CDs. Hal was an avid gardener, both vegetables and flowers, all organically grown. Favorites included dahlias and iris. His gardens appeared on Leverett and Amherst garden tours. He was awarded a golden (foil-covered) shovel for helping install the patio garden at the new Leverett Library after it opened in 2003. Andy inherited his dad’s gardening genes. He volunteered for many years at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts located then in Hatfield.

Hal was a card player. Hal and Judy once teamed up to beat Ohio foes in euchre, winning only because Hal coached Judy ahead of time—a miracle. He chided Judy for not trying blackjack when she was in Las Vegas on business. He moved his HO gauge model railroad layout to the Leverett basement, and he collected stamps. He loved Maine lobster and soon loved Chesapeake Bay crabs, never wasting time disputing which was best. He enjoyed regular four-mile walks on Leverett’s Juggler Meadow and Teawaddle Hill roads. He was president of the Cushman Investment Club for many years.

Gratitude goes especially to Team Hankinson/Paulin whose crucial assistance made the past several years easier as Hal’s abilities declined, and meant that he could remain at home. Thanks as well to Comprehensive Home Care and its caregivers Luz, Joseph and Michael.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, 25 Carew St., Chicopee, MA, 91020; or the Leverett Congregational Church, PO Box 324, Leverett, MA 01054; or a charity of your choice.

Calling hours will be at the Douglass Funeral Home, 87 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA on Friday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m.

A celebration of Harold Ricker’s life will be held at the Leverett Congregational Church, 4 Montague Road, Leverett, MA, on Saturday, June 29, at 11 a.m. with private burial separately at East Leverett Cemetery.

 Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com