Richard "Rick" Alfred Closmore

MADISON - Richard Alfred “Rick” Closmore, 79, recently of Madison, Wis., and formerly of Wesley Chapel, Fla., passed away on July 31, 2024, after a short battle with Glioblastoma. He is survived by his wife, Amy; brother, Ron and Linda Closmore; and nieces, Erin and Lisa; daughter, Seacret Alexander; granddaughters, Savannah and Grace; newly born great-grandson, Mychal Deshawn; and numerous nieces and nephews.  A loveable curmudgeon with cool tattoos, he is already missed by his family and friends.

Never one to conform to the idea of societal expectations of how one’s life “should” be lived, Rick was an independent thinker who constantly questioned authority and the status quo. This manifested in a deeply fulfilling life full of rich experiences and adventures, both good and bad.

Born in 1945 in Spartanburg, S.C., where his father was in the Armed Forces. His parents moved home to St. Paul, Minn., after the war in 1945.  Rick grew up in the Twin Cities, tried college, and decided exploring the country was a better option. He found his way to Fort Lauderdale in 1969, where he found work as a hospital lab technician. A colleague gave him an interesting book on nuclear medicine that Rick absorbed and eventually parlayed into a job in the evolving field. He met Amy in 1983 and the two were friends for five years. They bought a sailboat in 1988, married in 1989 and left in 1990 to explore the Caribbean.

Rick’s biggest passion was sailing. After learning to sail on several trips around the Caribbean with a friend, he bought his own boat, the Namaste, in 1988, and enlisted Amy to help fix it up. Once the Namaste was ready, they spent the next 12 years exploring the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and both the British and American Virgin Islands, alternating stints on land to work and save up money with sea trips of up to 18 months. His prowess as a spear fisher and diver kept them well-fed; sometimes there was even “too much” lobster. Family members happily spent hours listening to Rick’s stories of navigating pre-GPS, weathering storms, and marveling at beautiful beaches and Caribbean sunsets.

The Closmores moved to the St. Petersburg, Fla. marina in 1992, which they continued to use as base for sailing expeditions until they moved inland within St. Petersburg in 2002. Here they exchanged the boat for motorcycles. Eventually they moved to Wesley Chapel in 2005 and Rick retired from his job as a Nuclear Medical Technician in 2010.

Being on dry land never tamed Rick’s sense of adventure or curiosity about the world. Rick and Amy rode motorcycles throughout Florida, the Midwest, and Western states. After selling the motorcycles, they took road trips around the United States, including to Wisconsin and Northern Minnesota (in the summer), the Southwest, or wherever the urge took them. They flew to Costa Rica, Japan, and Hawaii. He read voraciously and was always ready for a thoughtful conversation with anyone who could keep up. He applied his intellectual curiosity to understanding the stock market and became an astute day trader and investor, setting up an elaborate monitoring system that achieved consistent returns.

An avid guitar player, Rick loved music, especially jazz, rock, and blues, and when he couldn’t get to a live show, would watch videos of his favorite bands and performers for hours. He also loved art and filled his home with paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings from his travels. His passions and approach to life continue to inspire how those around him see the world.

Rick delighted in sharing his interests with his nieces and nephews. Initially not really a “kids” person, he treasured these relationships and enjoyed talking about music, books, art, politics, and philosophy, or just shooting the breeze with them as they grew up.

While his final battle with Glioblastoma took away all that he physically loved to engage in, including the occasional cigar on the deck and bike riding around Madison in the summer, one of the things he was most saddened by was the loss of time he would have to spend with his daughter, Seacret, granddaughters, and great-grandson. He was very thankful for the growth in his relationship with Seacret in recent years and considered himself lucky to have had an opportunity to make up for lost time.

There will be a private memorial in Florida, on the water that Rick loved so much, later this year. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg, Wis. In addition, he wouldn’t object to you also sending a mean email to Ron DeSantis, protesting Trump, or otherwise getting into good trouble. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420