In Memory of Rick Nashleanas
December 15, 1957 - August 24, 2016
Opening prayer from Kirsten Barlow, Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Pueblo
Let’s pray…. God we come before you today to celebrate Rick’s life. …and yet, our hearts are broken and we are having a hard time celebrating. Rick was a great man. He was a loving and devoted husband and father. He was an enthusiastic entrepreneur and an inspirational boss. He was a fierce friend. He had a mischievous smile and a warm heart. He never knew a stranger.
We are having a hard time comprehending that he really is gone from us. It is too soon. Yet, we put our trust and our hope in you, Lord. We know that Rick did and so now as we celebrate his life here with us, we are thankful that he is with you. Comfort us in our time of grief. Help Pat and Patrick and RJ and all of his family and friends and co-workers to have the strength they need each day. Remind them of their beloved Rick. Help them to live their lives to the fullest each day, seizing the opportunities that arise, just as Rick would have done. Help us as we share in his memory today. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
From Rick's brother-in-law, John Hayes
We are told that there was once a small girl who, when told that her grandmother had died, stomped her feet, threw her head back and said “That isn’t fair – I wasn’t done with her yet!” Don’t we all today feel just like that little girl? None of us were done with Rick Nashleanas yet, but today we think back on all of the wonderful memories we keep of him, and are thankful for the time we had with him.
Rick would have had one hard and fast rule for us to follow today – no teary eyes or sad faces. All you have to do is to look at the pictures flashing before you and call up your memories of Rick – all of those pictures show Rick and the people around Rick smiling, and that should put a smile on your face and in your heart.
Rick’s character, and indeed his life, can be summed up for me in the concept of caring – he cared deeply about his work, his friends, and most especially about his family – whether his blood family or his family by marriage.
As an entrepreneur, Rick was exceptional. He and Pat graduated from Washington U. together, went to B school at Indiana, and then went to work for Eli Lilly. Well, just try to imagine Rick working for a buttoned-down company like Lilly. His sense of entrepreneurship and independence led Rick and Pat to the founding of Eden Systems, which they sold handsomely (to the great pride of my father!) in 1996. That same year they formed Monarch Digital, which operates yet today. In that venture Rick made many friends, some of whom you will hear from today. He always spoke with genuine affection of “his guys” at Monarch, and spoke even to me (who is a technological incompetent) of his pride in their work and his association with them. He truly cared for their wellbeing – and it showed.
He and Pat have many friends, including all of you here today. Together they shared their affection for each other with all of you, and made the world a happier place.
Rick loved to have fun. When conversation strayed into areas it shouldn’t have, or when the atmosphere got a little tense, Rick could be counted on to interject “How about those Broncos” or to let loose with some quasi-inappropriate junior high boys’ locker room level comment or joke. My wife and I agree that our strongest fond memory of Rick having fun is the image of him riling up our children, but later especially our grandchildren, and then turning them back to their parents with a mischievous grin on his face all the while telling everyone that he was “the bad uncle!” No Rick, you were the wonderful uncle.
But Rick’s greatest caring was reserved for his family. How he adored Pat. We had that very much in common. And could he ever dote on his boys. He was very proud of both of you for being the men you are on your own terms, and he loved your choice of spouses. When his parents and Pat’s parents grew older, there was Rick to take care of anything they needed. He truly cared for those who meant the most to him.
So in the end, we are just like that little girl who wasn’t finished with her grandmother - We weren’t finished with Rick. Our sadness is for our own individual sense of loss. Rick left us too soon. But instead of mourning that fact, we should be thankful for the time we had with him and we should all remember how lucky we are that Rick was such a big part of our lives and that he gave of himself in the ways he did, for he left us with hearts which he filled with fun, love and gladness. We will hold those memories dear forever.
From Rick's son, Patrick Nashleanas
Thank you for being here to honor the memory of my father and to share in this celebration of his life. I am incredibly lucky to have him as my father and I am lucky to have so many cherished memories with him that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It’s touching to see all of you here today and to know that each one of you also carry a cherished memory of the time you spent with him, whether you knew him for a day or a lifetime.
He didn’t do anything in life halfway. He approached being our dad the same way. Less than a month ago, he described his approach to fatherhood to me. He said he always started with this thought…”If I were two boys at this age…what would I want to do?”
Starting with this thought led us to chase down a descending hot air balloon just to see where it landed. We would go on early morning bike rides and scurry dangerously across busy highways to eat McDonald’s breakfast, after swearing an oath not to tell mom. He would drive us for hours on a congested interstate so that we could ski all day and then top it off with a night in a hotel watching TV shows about sharks until we fell asleep. He brought us on trips to Europe to see culture and he would balance a cultural European trip with a Monty Python or Three Stooges marathon to show us a different kind of culture. These were all things he did on purpose to make our lives more enjoyable.
And then there are the things he did without thinking. He would stand up for what was right in all situations, even if that stand was risky personally or professionally. He approached every person he met in life with respect. He showed me that, if you truly want to make something happen, you had
better be ready to put in the work to make it come true. With my mom, he modeled the most the most authentic, caring and loving relationship I could possibly imagine. He showed me how two people that approach life together as partners in all things can find more joy and happiness than anyone could possibly find on their own. He valued family time. Many nights began with a delicious meal, which was created with a little contribution from everyone present, progressed to a family game and ended with a deep conversation which he would call “solving the world’s problems.”
When RJ and I looked back at all of the things that he taught us (diligence, respect, love, living in the moment while working towards the future), we realized that there was never a time where he sat us down and laid out his expectations for us as young men or explained any of these life lessons. He simply lived this way. He lived his values every day as a shining example of who we should all hope to be.
…and It was impossible not to learn from his example.
He is a role model; he is an inspiration; he is my father; and he will be deeply missed.
I have my wife, Barbara to thank for igniting the friendship that I developed with Rick. Barb and Pat worked at Sunrise Church and through their connection; they brought us together as couples. That’s when I really got to know Rick and we became close friends. We shared a common interest in attending symphonies, having dinners together, enjoying each other’s company and hiking or dining in the beauty of the Vail Valley, Colorado.
One trip to Vail was particularly memorable; not for what you might think, but because it reinforced for me, Rick’s character. He became sick with a stomach bug, and spent most of that trip in a little room in our condo. In typical Rick fashion, he insisted that Barb, Pat and I go out and enjoy our time together, which we did, while he remained in.
Outside our relationship, Rick also displayed an unbridled commitment and engagement with the Drupal community, for those of you who don’t know; that’s a group of software jockies that Rick related well to. Rick was so revered by that group that they bestowed the title of “Yoda” on him for his expertise, wisdom and striking resemblance to the Star Wars character… a title he was especially pleased with.
Rick’s character was evident in many ways, but most striking was his deep caring for the people in his life and his immediate family, as well as taking the responsibility of caring for his parents. His admiration and love for Pat was always evident and can be summed up in what he recently said: “I married a Goddess!” Rick also loved his sons and the women they chose to spend their lives with and he was proud of their accomplishments. He also expressed respect and enduring loyalty to his team at Monarch Digital.
It’s incredibly sad that Rick’s life ended so soon and I cannot put into words, how much I will miss him. Rick was among the most positive people I know and I’m sure he wouldn’t want us to be sad today. If he were here, in that inimitable Rick Nashleanas way, he would smile with his infectious laugh and tell us to cheer up and talk about the great times and memories we shared with him.
In closing, I believe Rick lived the words of Mother Teresa:
- Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
- Be the living expression of God’s kindness;
- kindness in your face,
- kindness in your eyes,
- kindness in your smile,
- kindness in your warm greeting.
Thank you Rick, for all you gave us.
From one of Rick's "guys" at Monarch Digital, Caleb Thorne
Rick Nashleanas, the founder of Monarch Digital and a staple in the Colorado Drupal community, passed away unexpectedly in the morning on August 24, 2016. He will be remembered as much more than an employer, friend, and mentor. For everyone who knew him, he was family.
I first met Rick when I responded to an internship posting for Monarch Digital. I could never have imagined at the time how big an influence he would have on my life. Over the next 7 years, every interaction with him changed me for the better. Rick and his wife, Pat, attended my wedding and celebrated with us after the birth of both my kids. My 3 year old son, Robert, loved Rick. In the morning, as I prepared to leave for the day, he would often ask: “Are you going to work with Grandpa Rick?”
From Rick's friend, Robert R. Roehrich
It’s difficult to understand why death comes so early to good people. Consciously, we know this is a question without an answer. Scripture guides us to believe that we should mourn, but not dwell on the loss of a person, even one who was a dear friend, loving husband, dedicated father, diligent son and brother. So, today we come together to celebrate a life and recall in our own way, memories of times we shared with Rick and how he lived the wonderful life he had.
Rick and I met at Sunrise Church about 15 years ago; he was leading a job transition group, which is a euphemism for “being out of work”, of which I was a member. (In the coaching world, we talk about how first impressions are often a misreading, but this, my first impression of Rick was spot on.) He was welcoming, encouraging and supportive, and showed a wit and sense of humor we could all appreciate. He joked and put people at ease while demonstrating heartfelt compassion for our situations; it was apparent that he enjoyed giving more to us than he was getting in return. I believe all the members of the group came away from that experience with an appreciation and
connection with Rick, that none of us expected.
When my wife, Becky, brought the kids by the office, Robert and Rick would stage small gun battles while ducking and dashing between the desks.
Rick had a way of building confidence and encouragement through any challenge. A real-life Yoda, he was! There was a story or “dad” joke for every occasion. One of his favorite stories to tell was about the time his German distributors for Eden Systems insisted he take them to Hooters: “Vee vant to go to Hooters!”
Rick never did anything half-way. He was a savvy businessman who valued personal relationships and “bringing up” the next generation. When Monarch Digital began working with Drupal, it provided Rick with both a successful business opportunity and a chance to mentor new developers. Rick invested heavily in all his “guys” at Monarch Digital. Rick was constantly involved in the
the Drupal community. He founded the Southern Colorado Drupal User Group, was a regular volunteer for Drupalcamp Colorado, and served as the content manager for several international Drupal conferences.
Rick will be greatly missed at Monarch Digital and throughout the Drupal community but his memory will live on in the many lives he touched.