Richard A. Fooks

September 27, 2021

Richard Allen Fooks (Rick) passed away peacefully on September 27, 2021, at age 71 in his home in Pennsville, NJ surrounded by his loving family. Rick was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey on June 1, 1950. He is predeceased by his father Albert Fooks Sr., and his mother Emma Fooks (nee Shute), his brother/best friend Ronald Fooks, and beloved nephew Robert ‘Duke’ Mead. Rick is survived by his 3 children: Elisha Phillips (nee Fooks), Richard L. Fooks and his wife Samantha, Jessica Mathis (nee Fooks), significant other Annette Brooks, former spouse/mother of his children Karen Prigger (nee Richter), his grandchildren Alyssa Barra (nee Fisher), Jacob Byrne, Emma Fooks, Kasen Mathis, Richie Fooks Jr., and great-grandchild Xavier Barra. Rick is also survived by his brother Albert Fooks and his wife Debbie, his sister Beverly ‘Bev’ Mead (nee Fooks) and her husband Bob and Theresa Fooks, wife of his deceased brother Ron, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Rick graduated in 1968 from Bridgeton High School in Bridgeton, NJ. After leaving Ohio Northern University where he majored in Mathematics, he went on to graduate from Rowan in Glassboro, NJ and became a licensed Optician. Rick fell in love with music while he was in the Bridgeton High School band and marching band where he learned to play multiple instruments. He then went on to become a lead vocalist and percussionist in various bands outside of school including the Nutones, 6th Chapter, Frog Ocean Road, (sometimes partnering with We Gents), StarGlow which later became Urshendo, and most recently The Good Tymes Band, which lasted 15 years. While with Urshendo in 1975, the band went on tour in the Northeast and covered as far away as Chicago and Ohio. However, the day he lost his brother, he always said that was the day the music died. He fought a 20-year battle with cancer but always defied the odds. He fought as hard as he could through the years to stay with his children and grandchildren. Rick was a very dedicated father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and was involved in their daily lives and loved teaching them how to play on his keyboard. (Although he claims that Emma is the only one to acquire any of his musical talent). He came to every function that involved them, even if he was recuperating from a surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Rick was a born-again Christian that was a member of Quinton Baptist Church in the late 1970s. He helped to start the Awanis program, a boy’s club at the church. Always a faithful man, he read his bible daily and made sure to recite passages to his children and grandchildren when they fit the circumstances. While battling his illness, one of his hobbies became burning bible passages into driftwood, which his kids dubbed as "Driftwood for Jesus." He gave these out as gifts for special occasions. In the last few years, he and Annette took advantage of his time left and traveled to places he’d never been before. But his favorite place was staying with his nieces, Tracy, or Deanna at the Jersey shore. Rick was a dad first and a rockstar 2nd. Jess, Rich, and Elisha got used to his rockstar lifestyle as kids and went to his many gigs. He would call them up on stage, hand them tambourines and let them shine! The crowd loved it. He was extremely proud that they could keep a beat. He taught them the love of music very young, and they’ve taken that and passed it on to their children. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up in Rick's name for the Bridgeton High School Band. Donations can be made to Bridgeton Board of Education, Attn: SBA Office, PO Box 657, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. Memo: In Memory of R. Fooks. Any questions, please contact Shelley Peterson at the following email address: [email protected] He will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts. A memorial is being planned (TBA).