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(Arkansas pharmacist, businessman, and politician)

(Arkansas pharmacist, businessman, and politician)

| birth_date=December 14, 1924

| birth_date=December 14, 1924

| birth_place=Bentonville, Benton County]]<br>[[Arkansas]], [[United States|USA]]​

| birth_place=Bentonville, Benton County<br>[[Arkansas]], [[United States|USA]]​

| death_date=January 12, 2003 (aged 78)​

| death_date=January 12, 2003 (aged 78)​

| death_place=Benton, Saline County<br>Arkansas<br>

| death_place=Benton, Saline County<br>Arkansas<br>

==Background==

==Background==

 

Ricketts was born to Glenn C. (1899–1982) and Jewell Ricketts (1902–1987) in Bentonville in Benton County in northwestern Arkansas. He graduated in 1942 from Fayetteville High Schoo].  He then entered the [[United States Marines]] in which he served for thirty months during [[World War II]], mostly as a medical field technologist in the South [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. On returning from the war, he studied pre-medicine at the [[University of Arkansas]] in Fayetteville. He graduated in 1950 from the School of Pharmacy at what is now the University of the Ozarks, a [[Christianity|Christian]] institution in Clarksville, Arkansas, not to be confused with the  College of the Ozarks in southwestern [[Missouri]].<ref name=obit>Ricketts obituary, ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'', January 14, 2003.</ref>

Ricketts was born to Glenn C. (1899–1982) and Jewell Ricketts (1902–1987) in Bentonville in Benton County in northwestern Arkansas. He graduated in 1942 from Fayetteville High Schoo]].  He then entered the [[United States Marines]] in which he served for thirty months during [[World War II]], mostly as a medical field technologist in the South [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. On returning from the war, he studied pre-medicine at the [[University of Arkansas]] in Fayetteville. He graduated in 1950 from the School of Pharmacy at what is now the University of the Ozarks, a [[Christianity|Christian]] institution in Clarksville, Arkansas, not to be confused with the  College of the Ozarks in southwestern [[Missouri]].<ref name=obit>Ricketts obituary, ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'', January 14, 2003.</ref>

Ricketts was a former president of the Arkansas Junior Chamber of Commerce, a national Jaycees director, and a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce International. He was affiliated with the Fayetteville Exchange Club for Men, the Arkansas Pharmaceutical Association, and the [[Salvation Army]].<ref name=obit/>

Ricketts was a former president of the Arkansas Junior Chamber of Commerce, a national Jaycees director, and a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce International. He was affiliated with the Fayetteville Exchange Club for Men, the Arkansas Pharmaceutical Association, and the [[Salvation Army]].<ref name=obit/>

==Political life==

==Political life==

 

At the time of his gubernatorial bid, Ricketts, a 37-year-old [[pharmacist]], operated with his father Ricketts Drug Store in Fayetteville] in Washington County in northwestern Arkansas.<ref>''[[The New York Times]]'', November 3, 1962.</ref> Ricketts polled 82,349 votes (26.7 percent) to Faubus' 225,743 (73.3 percent). Faubus won all seventy-five counties; Ricketts ran best with 42 percent in Baxter County in the far northern part of the state.<ref>Election Statistics, 1962, Little Rock: Secretary of State; ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' 1962 gubernatorial results.</ref>

At the time of his gubernatorial bid, Ricketts, a 37-year-old [[pharmacist]], operated with his father Ricketts Drug Store in Fayetteville] in Washington County in northwestern Arkansas.<ref>''[[The New York Times]]'', November 3, 1962.</ref> Ricketts polled 82,349 votes (26.7 percent) to Faubus' 225,743 (73.3 percent). Faubus won all seventy-five counties; Ricketts ran best with 42 percent in Baxter County in the far northern part of the state.<ref>Election Statistics, 1962, Little Rock: Secretary of State; ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections,'' 1962 gubernatorial results.</ref>

==Later years==

==Later years==

 

​After his 1962 race, Ricketts worked in Rockefeller's losing gubernatorial campaign of 1964 and then Rockefeller's election in 1966. He served as secretary of the Arkansas GOP but never again sought office himself.

After his 1962 race, Ricketts worked in Rockefeller's losing gubernatorial campaign of 1964 and then Rockefeller's election in 1966. He served as secretary of the Arkansas GOP but never again sought office himself.

 

In 1967, Ricketts relocated to Benton in Saline County south of Little Rock (not to be confused with his birthplace of Bentonville), to become the administrator of the local Arkansas State Hospital, at which he earned the "Boss of the Year" award in 1968. Thereafter, from 1972 to 1973, he was the administrator of the Stella Manor Nursing Home in Russellville in Pope County, at which he was active in the Association of Mental Health Administrators. He was the executive vice president of the Saline County [[Chamber of Commerce]] from 1973 until his retirement in 1985.<ref name=obit/>

In 1967, Ricketts relocated to Benton in Saline County south of Little Rock (not to be confused with his birthplace of Bentonville), to become the administrator of the local Arkansas State Hospital, at which he earned the "Boss of the Year" award in 1968. Thereafter, from 1972 to 1973, he was the administrator of the Stella Manor Nursing Home in Russellville in Pope County, at which he was active in the Association of Mental Health Administrators. He was the executive vice president of the Saline County [[Chamber of Commerce]] from 1973 until his retirement in 1985.<ref name=obit/>

Ricketts, who was divorced from LaEuna "Lee" Broyles Ricketts Patrick (1925-2003), was survived by a daughter, Janis Ricketts Volkamer of Fayetteville; a son, Glenn R. "Rick" Ricketts and his wife, Cathy, of Benton; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Services were held on January 15, 2003, at Ashby Funeral Home Chapel in Benton. Burial was at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville.<ref name=obit/>​

Ricketts, who was divorced from LaEuna "Lee" Broyles Ricketts Patrick (1925-2003), was survived by a daughter, Janis Ricketts Volkamer of Fayetteville; a son, Glenn R. "Rick" Ricketts and his wife, Cathy, of Benton; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Services were held on January 15, 2003, at Ashby Funeral Home Chapel in Benton. Burial was at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville.<ref name=obit/>​

 

==References==

==References==

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricketts, Willis}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricketts, Willis}}​

[[Category:Arkansas]]​

[[Category:Arkansas]]​

[[Category:Republicans]]​

[[Category:Republicans]]​

[[Category:United States Marine Corps]]​

[[Category:United States Marine Corps]]​

[[Category:World War II]]​

[[Category:World War II]]