The entire Stahls’ family suffered a great loss this week as Ricki Stahl passed away last Saturday. In addition to being matriarch of the Stahl family, she was co-founder of Stahls’ and a friend to all who met her.
Ricki married Ernest A. Stahl in 1939 and during World War II, while her husband was serving in the Pacific, created and ran the new athletic lettering division of the family apparel decoration company. She participated in all aspects of the company, from cutting felt letters with a manual kick press to taking care of accounting and customer service. The Stahls’ group of companies, which now do business worldwide, were made possible by Ricki’s tenacity and dedication.
As much as she helped grow the family company, Ricki also helped the community at large. She was involved with charities such as The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane Society, and always tried to help others, as shown in her involvement in helping to bring a hot lunch program to an area middle school. Even in her later years, Ricki always put the needs of others first, whether they be nurses, doctors, or fellow patients in the hospital, or her many friends in the Sunrise living community.
A great lover of the outdoors, Ricki was an ardent fisherwoman and golfer, and enjoyed spending time at her homes in Grayling, MI, Punta Gorda, FL, and her vacation home in Canada. She also loved to play dominoes and Mahjong.
Preceded in death by her husband Ernest and son Craig, Ricki is survived by her sons, Ted (and his wife Mary), and Brian (and his wife, Jan) as well as her beloved seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Ricki’s extraordinary life will be celebrated at 11 AM on Saturday, November 5 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Roseville, MI.
As stated in the announcement of her passing to Stahls’ employees, “she was truly a beautiful person.” She will be missed.