Rick Colvin Passes Away

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Richard Todd (Rick) Colvin, 54, of Milledgeville, Ga., passed away on Thursday of last week (January 21) at Trinity Hospital in Augusta, Ga., after a very brief and sudden illness. Visitation will be from 2 - 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 30, followed by a 4 p.m. prayer service at Williams Funeral Home and Crematory, Milledgeville, Ga.

Rick was a native of Dennison, Ohio, the son of Earl and Kathryn Colvin. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in chemistry from Muskingum College, he began his career as a bench chemist for Engelhard Minerals and Chemicals. Later he moved into field sales and product management for paper kaolin. Rick loved the kaolin industry and spent the rest of his 32-year career imbedded in this small, tightly knit, middle-Georgia industry. From Nord Kaolin, to Dry Branch Kaolin, Thiele Kaolin, and finally to his own consulting firm focused solely on the kaolin industry, he developed many strong customer relationships as well as close friendships that crossed company lines and touched Europe, South America, and the Far East. "Kaolin Rick" as he was affectionately known, believed that kaolin, not blood, ran through his veins.

Rick served on the Paper Industry Management Association (PIMA) Board of Directors, was the 2007 - 2008 affiliate chairman, and recipient of the Thomas F. Sheerin Service Award in 2004. He loved to hunt and fish, was an avid Ohio Sate Buckeye fan, and bloodhounds were his dog of choice. He and his wife Barbie developed their wooded property into the garden of her dreams, a legacy to his patience and tolerance of her gardening whims, his loving spirit, and devotion to her. He was generous with his time to all who knew him and quick to lend a hand to anyone in need. Many a book or tool had to be replaced because he had given his away to someone who showed an interest in it.

Rick is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbie; sister Ann Colvin of Columbus, Ohio, and her long-term companion, Louis (Gene) Vassy.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the renovation of the grounds at Lockerly Arboretum (P.O. Box 310, Milledgeville, Ga. 31059) or the Healing and Hope Through Science children's outreach program, c/o Katie Vogel, Sarah P Duke Gardens, Campus Box 90341, 426 Anderson St., Durham, N.C., 27708.