Ricky Lee Quistad

Ricky’s Story as Told by his ‘Favorite’ Wife as he was my ‘Favorite’ Husband. (An Example of the Humor we shared) Ricky Lee Quistad was born March 19, 1959 to his loving parents Chester & Betty (Chatterton) Quistad in Omaha Nebraska. Survived by his wife Linda Quistad, daughter Lynn Calloway (James Watkins), son Luke Andresen (Amanda), grandchildren Alexander Calloway, Drake Watkins, Jacob Zustra, Samantha Zustra, and brothers Dan and David Quistad, along with many friends and relatives. His musical story began at a very young age, when one day he looked up at his Mom and said “I’d like to Play the Drums” and his Mom replied, “How about playing the organ, and being ‘The Whole Band”. He proceeded to take organ lessons from Jeanne Cooper for years. At the age of 10, his mother received a call from Jeanne that she thought he was ready to play a couple nights in the lounge at Gorat’s Steakhouse, so that he did. He enjoyed camping with his Mom and Dad in their Airstream camper traveling throughout the country, visiting Chet’s Minnesota relatives and his half-brothers in California, Dan & David. Impressing many before getting his driver’s license, he bought his first car demonstrating his lifelong love of cars. In his Senior year of high school, his Mother was called in because he had been skipping gym class. They compromised that he could go to the music room and practice during gym class times. He was in various plays in high school, one was South Pacific and tried out for the play, Charlie Brown because he felt he was the perfect fit as Schroeder, and much to his surprise, and slight disappointment, was cast as Charlie Brown! They had to have seen what we all have seen throughout our lives, the powerful showman personality, commanding a room, whenever and wherever he entered. He spoke of the security guard letting him leave occasionally to go to his Volkswagon bus complete with a keg (My bad boy). He played in local venues such as The Joker in Council Bluffs, and many more that I hope you will share, so I can continue to hear and learn. After graduating from Benson High in 1977, Rick was awarded an Architectural School Scholarship, choosing instead to pursue his musical dream of touring with the Wink Band in Canada for 5 years. While touring in Canada another band approached him to join their band. The band was Lover Boy! (Those old enough to remember this band). Something selfishly I am SO glad he did not accept! Upon returning home, he continued his music passion by recording at Studio C in Omaha. Before I met him, he played with Bugsy Malone and shortly after meeting me, he joined Rock Hard, Heart Attack, Rabbit Stew, 36th Avenue Band and Bo’Dell & The Relics, filling in with the Fish Heads in Lake Okoboji and Blue House when they’d ask him to join them with one of his signature songs, Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis. He also recorded with ‘7 times 7 Records’ for vocalist Nicki Frolio Aney with his amazing sounds. In 1994, Rick and I met at a mutual friend’s house warming party. He had leased them cars, and I had taken a debate class at UNO with the other roommate, Kathy. Kathy said the party was getting boring, I said “I’ve got this”, and I gathered all who would participate into their garage. They couldn’t stay unless they participated in the two games, ‘Butt Darts & Bite The Bag’, games I learned from my Florentine Player friends. He gave Kathy his Rosen Auto Leasing card and asked her strongly to have me call him. I didn’t. Six-weeks later I was at a 35+ singles networking event at the Anchor Inn, and saw him from across the patio and waved thinking, “That’s the guy who gave me his card, I should give him a chance”. From that night on we were inseparable and have had the most wonderful 30 years together with 27 years of those married. Rick was SO HAPPY to welcome my children Lynn and Luke followed by our grandchildren, Alex 25, and Drake 6, in the adoring roles of Father and Grandfather. He accepted all of my friends, joining me with the Florentine Players and Florence Historical Foundation. His contributions included, being President of the Florentine Players, the ‘sound guy’ for 25 years, and many recent years of being the Florence Days Parade’s Master of Ceremonies, along with occasional on stage roles. Example: Rick being Rick, it was all too easy to convince him to wear a tutu and participate in an all-male ballet of Swan Lake, performed gracefully from his days roller skating, his moves were stellar! We also shared many years on the Florence Historical Board raising thousands of dollars for them through our various ‘fun’ fundraising events. After his Mom died in 2008, we kept her lake house in Ashland, Nebraska because we were married there on the beach on August 23, 1997, honeymooning in Jamaica with a return trip to Jamaica for our 20th Anniversary. In 2016 after my Mom died, we decided to stop owning 2 homes. Working full time and keeping up 2 homes for 13 years was getting old for both of us. We designed a home on the same property where we could age comfortably, for the rest of our lives, moving in November 13, 2020. Jobs I remember him telling me stories from was working with World Radio, Custom Auto, and Rosen Auto Leasing (where we met). He joined me working at Movie Ad Media selling theater ads for a number of years. This allowed us to travel together throughout the country, working individually in our assigned states. He joined Jones Automotive finding another niche he excelled in, working with law enforcement and building up the company’s revenue stream for 9 years. Federal Signal met him at Jones Automotive, and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, forming his own LLC, ‘Q’s Lights & Sirens’ for the past 8 years exclusively in a 6-state territory. He simply loved his job, especially helping his clients and working with his co-workers. When people would ask when we were going to retire, we’d answer “We truly enjoy working” and lately have been able to work a couple of conventions together with his booth next to mine. Rick demonstrating his lights and sirens for fire departments, and I promoting Prochaska & Associates, an Architectural-Engineering firm. This allowed us once again, the ability to travel and work together. Our personal travels together continued in various countries. Some of our stateside adventures included Chicago, (Where he proposed to me on the Ferris Wheel after bribing the operator to go around twice to signify our 2nd marriage), New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, and most recently Boston. One of our favorite trips was taking our first Grandson Alex to California’s Disneyland to visit Rick’s brother, Dan, and his wife, Janet. Aside from his passion for music, Rick also enjoyed golfing, combing the beach, working in his Man Cave, that doubled as his office and music haven, watching the Indy 500, Kentucky Derby, Coca-Cola 600 (NASCAR), Huskers and Chiefs, along with driving around in our golf cart visiting our lake friends. Above everything else, Rick was a gentleman, and often was heard saying, “Always be a Gentleman” to the boys in our family. He was also a jokester who enjoyed pulling pranks, photo bombing whenever he could, which many of you have been victims of. Also bragging that he graduated from the University of Okoboji, waiting for people’s reactions to see if they caught his humor. Rick never met a stranger, only friends. He was patient with our family, kind to everyone, and very creative, which made him an excellent musician writing his own music, some of which will be played at the funeral. Rick cared about everyone who was in his life with a special talent of diffusing difficult situations with grace and charm by using his unique personality in a way that others could not. Another quote Rick was often heard saying was, “I’m just a poor starving musician”. He loved cookies of all kinds and looked forward to each year’s Christmas Cookie Exchange, which inspired him to form the ‘Shrimp & Wings Exchange’ with the men at the same time, either in his Man Cave or at Hooters. We were birds of a feather that thought and felt the same way about almost everything, being thrifty, music, and both enjoyed cooking dinner for each other with an occasional courteous debate because we both had ideas of meals we wanted to create and share with one another. Every evening Rick made coffee, and had a cup waiting for me when I woke up. Rick was an excellent husband, father, grandfather, friend, and employee. He loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren, looking forward to every event to be with them. He was the love of my life; our 30 years together seemed like only a couple. I loved coming home to him everyday! Ricky will be at the at Reichmuth Funeral Home, 21910 West Maple Road, Elkhorn, NE 68022, Sunday, November 24th starting at 1:00 pm with a program at 4:00 pm and the family staying until all guests have been received and all stories and lies have been exchanged. What To Do: ~ Friends and family are encouraged to wear Hawaiian or Bowling shirts, and/or Fedoras (Rick’s signature look) ~ No plants or flowers, please, due to family allergies ~ Send your pictures or videos to Reichmuth Funeral home’s email: services@reichmuthfuneralhomes.com by Friday, November 22, so they can include all your memories in the slide show ~ Financial memorials will be allocated by the family in the future ~ If using Venmo, memorials can be sent to @RickQuistad-Q-MemorialFund with all monies received to be distributed by the family later If you’d like to help with supplying some of Ricky’s favorite things during the visitation, cookies were one of Rick’s favorite foods. Please Contact Nancy Westphalen 402-960-8840, or email nwestphalen@msn.com by Friday, Nov 22nd, at 6 pm, to eliminate too many or too little cookies, or take them directly to the Reichmuth Funeral home by 6 pm, Saturday, Nov 23.

Ricky Lee Quistad

March 19, 1959 - November 15, 2024