Daniel Ricketts

Danny Boone, Boone Baby, Daniel, or Dan, no matter what you called Daniel Clayton Ricketts, you always knew the person you were talking to was as sincere and genuine as any human could be. Dan never minded being called a country boy and didn't care if everyone knew how much he loved and cared for his mom. There was no hiding the fact that he looked up to her and modeled his own kind and caring personality after hers. Although he didn't speak much unless he was amongst friends and family, when he did, there was a certain comfort knowing that his heart was in the right place. Dan always saw the best in people and, for that, people knew that the best was in Dan.

Following World War II, the automobile factories returned to doing what they knew best, making cars. But applying the technology they had used during wartime, cars became faster and more powerful than ever before. With a newfound need for speed, racing was gaining popularity, and soon the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or NASCAR was born. Just a few short years later in the mid-1950s, a young woman named Rose Stowman crossed paths with a man by the name of Norman Ricketts, and love blossomed. The couple escaped to Ohio to get married and began planning their new family, which already included Rose's three children. On July 29 of 1961, they welcomed a son named Daniel Clayton, and with that, one of NASCAR's biggest fans was born.

Right from the start Daniel was "spoiled with love" by his parents and five older siblings, particularly his big sister Maggie who just couldn't get enough of him. He was the baby of the family and they all coddled him, giving him nicknames like "Boone Baby" and "Danny Boone." When it came to his family, Daniel was just as smitten. Much like his mother, he was sweet and kind, thoughtful and considerate, and never had a bad word to say about anyone.

As a young man Daniel, or Dan as many would later call him, attended Mattawan High School before transferring to Paw Paw for his last year. With the exception of long time girlfriend Angie Preston, as a teenager Dan had only one love: motorcycles. Largely from his experience riding dirt bikes, he found motorcycles much more fascinating than his studies, so before he could earn his diploma, at the age of 17 he decided it was time to leave school. He soon found a job working with his brother Bob as a television reception specialist. Always following in his big brothers footsteps, when Bob started his own company, Daniel worked for him, and when Bob got into truck driving, Daniel soon followed.

Despite working for various companies over the years, Dan was an avid outdoorsman and often remarked how nice it would be to own a farm. He never minded being called a redneck or a country boy. In fact, that is how he liked to refer to himself. He knew he was a country boy at heart, driving his pickup truck while listening to the country and western greats like Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley, and Mickey Gilley. Dan also liked to hunt, fish, and ride dirt bikes whenever he got the chance. And like any good country boy, he loved animals, especially dogs, and had many faithful canine companions by his side over the years.

No matter where he was or what he was doing, Dan never missed a NASCAR race on TV. Since he could remember, NASCAR had been a huge part of his life and it always made him so proud that he knew over 30 years of the sport. Throughout the late 80s and early 90s he cheered on Dale Earnhardt, Sr., and later it was Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Tony Stewart that he followed religiously. He had such fervor for the sport that he even roped several family members into it, especially his mother. While there were many wins for his favorite drivers over the last several years, the year 2006 gave Dan something else to cheer about. His beloved Detroit Tigers finally made it back to the World Series for the first time since 1984.

There were two people in Dan's life that meant a great deal to him and shared some of his same interests and passions. John Hoyt and Ed Lee were more than just mentors and friends, they were his father figures. He and John both loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time together hunting and fishing, while with Ed he was able to attend a few Tiger games, which he enjoyed immensely. Dan was a very private person and didn't speak much unless he was surrounded by his circle of close friends, and these two guys were definitely included in that circle.

The one thing that was always apparent to those who knew Dan was his big heart and the genuine sincerity with which he spoke. When he began to lose his appetite and was later diagnosed with cancer, he wasn't concerned about himself, but about his mother. He had lived with her for the last four years and now, facing his death, he knew that the hardest part about leaving this earth would be leaving her behind. Daniel believed in God and never feared meeting his maker, his only concern was the terrible grief his mother would experience going through the death of another one of her children. While all of Dan's family and friends have suffered an unspeakable loss, it is certain that they can find joy remembering the life of such a wonderful man.

Dan was preceded in death by his brother Robert, father Norman and two aunts, Lylene Boyson, and Ruby Cramer. Surviving are his mother, Rose Ricketts of Kalamazoo, 3 siblings; Lyle DeBoer of Greenville, MI, Maggie (Don) Gaw of Portage, Gayla McMahon of Kalamazoo, 4 nieces and 5 nephews, several grand nieces and grand nephews, two aunts Lyn (Henry) Kovalcik of Port Charlotte, FL, Judy Newburry of Bloomingdale and two men that were father figures to him; John Hoyt of Schoolcraft and Ed Lee of Mattawan. Cremation will take place. Learn more about Dan, view his Life Story Film and visit with his friends and family on Sunday January 7, from 1:00-3:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler & Thompson, 60900 M-40, Paw Paw. A service to honor his life will be held that day at 3:00 PM. To archive a favorite memory, upload a photo, or sign the online guestbook, please visit Dan's personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of S.W. Michigan