Today we mourn the sudden passing of 62-year-old Richard Hedley Doll on July 26, 2025. A man worth remembering.

Born on July 12th, 1963, in Cranbrook, BC, to Noreen and Vern Doll, Rick shared his life with six siblings and countless nieces, nephews and cousins.

“Rick” adored his family and was fiercely loyal to everyone. He was a man you could always count on. His family loved and cherished him for the man he was.

In his early life, Rick quickly carved out his place in sports. Though small in stature, he was fierce in spirit and competitive by nature.

Hockey, baseball, bowling, billiards, tennis, horseshoes, the list goes on. But boxing was where Rick found his true calling. He had fast hands, sharp awareness, and the heart of a lion. His athleticism in the ring reflected his character: stoic, reserved, and respectful, but always intentional in action. The lessons of resilience and heart he learned in the ring became the qualities he lived by.

Rick pursued work in welding, honing a skilled craft that took him across Canada to major cities. A wandering man, he explored new places while mastering his trade. His welds were as smooth as his hands, and his hairline.

When life was no longer about adrenaline and adventure, it was about angling. Whether trolling behind the family boat, casting from the shore, or tossing a line into the icy abyss, fishing gave Rick peace. Time with family, or time alone in nature meant everything. He knew the local lands; North Star, Premier, Peckham’s, and it knew him.

Rick’s life was a difficult one. Severe broken and smashed leg at 19, followed by many years of physio and rehab. Diagnosed with Schizophrenia and Crohn’s disease at a young age. He faced battles most can’t imagine. He suffered, yes, but he also endured. And he fought, year after year, challenge after challenge, he came out the other side, not just surviving, but supporting others. He was a quiet guide, a light to his family and his peers, showing that even when the odds are stacked against you, you still have a chance to be your best. These battles hardened him, but they also made him deeply empathetic. They shaped him.

Rick’s love for animals was limitless. He showed compassion and patience for all creatures. His closest companion was Benji. A dog he rescued, found wandering alone in the South Star area, abandoned and scared, until Rick comforted him. That wasn’t the only animal he loved unconditionally, but it was the most meaningful bond. Two wandering souls who found each other. Best friends forever.

Art was Rick’s lifelong commitment. More than a passion, it was a need. He never strayed from it. Thousands of pieces poured from his hands. Art was therapy, expression, a window into how he felt and how his mind worked. He loved symmetry. The bilateral beauty of butterflies, the meditative flow of a mandala. In those designs, he found alignment and wholeness. He felt peace when pen or brush touched the page. His brush strokes told that story. A story of experience, feeling, and spirit. His compassion, strength, and empathy. Even in pain, as a family, it will guide us through our own hardships, as he guided us through his.

Rick had a fascination with lions. He loved to paint them. He admired what they stood for. They had a symbolism. As did he for us. Richard, with a lion’s heart, is how we will always remember you.

As we say goodbye to Richard, Brother Rick, Uncle Rick, we remember his story.

Rick is predeceased by his parents, Leslie Vernon Doll and Noreen Rose Doll (Hedley), and he is survived by six siblings; Dianne (Wayne Morell) Pinchak, Linda (Shaun Payne) Atwood, Dale (Jay Konkin) Doll, Melanye Doll, Daryl (Sheri) Doll, and Tracey (Jamey) Paarup, as well as dozens of nieces, nephews and several grand nieces and nephews.

A Private Celebration of his Life will be held by the family in the near future.

mcphersonfh.com