Maureen Marie Ricks

Maureen Ricks, 85, of Dalton, died Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Maureen "Meanie" Marie Ricks (nee Bauer) was born September 25, 1940 in Wahpeton, ND to Gregory and Angela (Bernard) Bauer. She attended St. Francis Academy in Hankinson, ND (8 miles from the farm). She started driving to school at age 12! For those of you who knew her, you will not find this hard to believe!

Her Grandfather and Grandmother, Joseph & Mary (nee Heger) Bauer built a house in Hankinson to live in after Gregory Bauer, Sr. got married to Angela. Ultimately, they gave up their house, so the new Nuns brought in to run the Academy had place to live, until sufficient space was built at the Academy. She graduated high school in 1958.

"Meanie" acquired her name as a child. She was the youngest of 5 children. She loved to find snakes and torment her siblings. Thus, "Meanie" was born - and the name stuck for the rest of her life. Her license plate even read "MEANIE".

Meanie married Donald Edward Ricks on September 12, 1959 at St. Philip's Catholic Church in Hankinson, ND. They made their home on a century farm near Wendell, MN, land that had been in the Ricks family since John and Christine Ricks moved from Iowa and purchased it in 1903. Edward Ricks, John's oldest son, inherited some of the land and he & Don acquired the rest from his siblings. Edward and Dora (nee Hawkinson) built their home on the east (opposite) side of the farm where they farmed and raised their only son, Donald. 

After Don and Meanie were married, they built their home between the 2 existing farmhouses. Don and Meanie lived on the farm until Don died in 1990. They raised 4 children: Peggy, Susanne, Terry and Debra. They were also well known for taking in nieces, nephews, and cousins from time to time including a lifelong special relationship between "Ma" and Kenny Hawkinson. Meanie had a large garden and was always cooking for more than just her family.

Don and Meanie were farmers but were also entrepreneurs who built and ran several businesses. In the 1960's, they started TNT Sales & Services to sell SKI-DOO snowmobiles. Initially out of the Range Hatchery and in 1969 they built a large "shop" on the farm for sales & services. All the kids learned to ride snowmobiles early in life and became their dad's best marketing tool.

In the 1970's they started Hy-Tech, Inc. to sell sunflower seeds. Ultimately, they had 50 dealers across the Midwest (MN, ND, SD, NE, KS).

In 1974, they purchased 80 acres in Teller County, Colorado. The property became an all-time favorite place for the entire family. They often flew in Don's Cardinal 177 airplane out to Colorado. Meanie had to figure out how to get 6 people, plus clothing, and goods to fit in the "envelope" of the plane's weight restrictions. She was a master at numbers and a Tetris master to fitting the family inside that little plane!

In her spare time (ha!), she was very involved with the kids in 4-H teaching them to sew, bake, garden, etc. She was also a seamstress and often dressed the girls alike in the younger years.

Soon after Don's death, Meanie began the next chapter of her life at Ten Mile Lake in Ottertail County near Dalton, MN. The lake had been a favorite place for the family for decades, and it soon became home. Even though Meanie couldn't swim (true story!) she loved the water and took thousands of pictures of the gorgeous sunsets. Her lake home became the center of the family. She adored her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. She never tired of having them visit. She always had lots of home baked goods on the counters! Holidays were always at her house. She was well-known in her area for her daily walks. She loved walking with her neighbors who became very close friends.

Meanie had a huge heart and dedicated her time volunteering at Christian Mother's at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Elbow Lake, MN for 30 years. She was in charge of all the food for funerals, clergy events, the annual Fall Festival, and the annual Lenten Fish Fry at Our Lady of Victory for another 30 years until she retired in 2020. She served on the Tumuli Township Board, Tumuli Election Board, and the Lakeshore Association for many years. She was also very active with the Lake Region Cancer Center after having survived 2 rounds of breast cancer.

If you knew Meanie you know no grass grew under her feet! She was an incredibly hard worker. She was a bundle of energy and would do anything for you. She traveled a fair amount and went as far as Africa and Europe several times. She also took many friends and neighbors on vacations all around the world including Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

But her greatest joy was her family. No request was too big, no act too small, for Meanie. She gave her time, her talents, and her enormous heart freely to the people she loved. She was always there - with a meal, baked goods, a helping hand, a listening ear, or simply a place to come home to.

Her family was her greatest gift, and she was theirs.

Meanie is preceded in death by her parents, Gregory and Angela (nee Bernard) Bauer; her husband, Donald; her siblings Gregory D. Bauer and Ramona A. (nee Bauer) Castle, and granddaughter, Morgann M. Arens.

Meanie is survived by her children, Peggy (Peg) (Thad) Rodarmel Zylka of Nevada, Susanne (Arthur) Arens of Colorado, Terry Ricks of Minnesota, and Debra Goetsch of Minnesota; her grandchildren, Alexis (Sean) Miller, Reid (Jessica) Rodarmel, Olivia Arens, Raquel (Clark) Brown, Derek (Ann) Ricks, Wyatt (Sydney) Ricks, Maria Ricks, Ava (Theo) Sblendorio, and Grace Goestch; and her great grandchildren, Shiloh Miller, Natalie Kowalke, Juliet & Violet Rodarmel, Heston, Lina, Eleanor and Warren Ricks, and Oliver and Bennett Ricks.

The funeral will be on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at Our Lady of Victory. Visitation starts at 10:00am with mass at 11:00am. A luncheon will follow. Afterwards a procession will advance to the St. Loretto Catholic Cemetery near Elbow Lake where she will be interred next to Donald.

For those that cannot attend, Olson's Funeral Home will be livestreaming the service.

The obituary and livestream information can be found at www.olsonfuneralhome.com or the link below.

Livestream Information ' Olson Funeral Home

Please send donations to the Lake Region Cancer Health Foundation.

www.lakeregional.com/health-foundation/

Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral and Cremation in Fergus Falls.

Online condolences may be sent to www.olsonfuneralhome.com