Rick Elliott, 70, of Cabot, Arkansas decided he’d finally had enough of this sh*t on April 2, 2026. Never a quitter, Rick fought until the very end in hopes of celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary with his sweetheart, Sheila Elliott, this June.

Although they didn’t quite make it to that milestone, they made plenty of questionable decisions—and even more memories—in the time they had together. From whiteknuckling along Skyline Drive in Colorado with two kids in the car to that infamous hike down Seven Hollows Trail, Rick always made the journey an adventure. Rick was curious, stubborn, hopeful, and always ready for the next turn, even if it wasn’t on the map. It was these moments that he said motivated him to go to work and give it his all each day.

That’s not to say Rick phoned it in at work. Quite the contrary. Rick was known for showing up early, staying late, and a firm commitment to an organized email inbox. That led to a rapid career progression, from auto parts stores to owning his own plumbing company to serving as the head of maintenance at the North Little Rock Housing Authority. His leadership and expertise during the Willow House Fire led to a job offer by Metro Builders & Restoration Specialists. From there, Rick’s career blossomed and he became a Loss Specialist, after developing a reputation for being able to handle large, complex jobs with tight budgets and timelines. Like many construction dads, any time spent in the car with him meant you also enjoyed a sightseeing tour of buildings he’d worked on around town. Rick went the extra mile by also possessing an expert knowledge on the restrooms surrounding these jobs, which spanned the state.

In spite of these accolades, Rick would tell you he was most proud of his family. He and Sheila raised three strong-willed (loud) kids, Zac, Kirsten, and Kendyl, each with their own unique view of the world—something he was incredibly proud of. Rick was a devoted dad who served as Zac’s Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 133 and spent years going on campouts, sometimes twice a month. Rick decided to add a little extra chaos to the campouts when he and Sheila hosted a foreign exchange student from Switzerland during Zac’s final year of high school. The student, Chris Geiser, quickly became part of the family and returned home to see Dad regularly over the years.

While the girls didn’t carry on the camping tradition, they kept Rick busy. He basically lived at Skate Connection during the decade Kirsten speed skated, throwing himself so fully into supporting her that he broke his wrist while learning to skate. Kendyl was the only one brave enough to try picking up Rick’s own hobby of playing guitar. Although she didn’t care for the callouses enough to follow in his footsteps, they bonded over a shared love of music.

Rick was thrilled when his family expanded as his kids married and created their own families. He loved Sarah, Dayton, and Mason like his own children. But there was perhaps no role he loved more though than that of PawPaw (or Papa, depending on who you ask). Rick lived for opportunities to pass down the family tradition of making his grandkids laugh so hard they could barely breathe. Then again, he lived for any moment he had with Abby, Cami, Emma, and Jake.

Rick developed this deep love and commitment for his family early on from the example of his parents, Donald Eugene Elliott and Nancy Odle Elliott, who loved him through his antics, including hitchhiking several hours north to go to a party. The oldest of four, Rick was the definition of a cool big brother to his siblings Donna, Danny, and Gary. He rode motorcycles and made his own rules, and he cherished the time he spent with them.

Rick’s rebellious nature carried through to the very end. He defied the odds time and time again throughout a 6+ year-long battle with encephalitis. Throughout it all, when asked how he was feeling, he would say “with my fingers.” Ironic since he kept his loved ones and medical team on their toes. Rick was cared for by an exceptional hospice team, many of whom became like family.

Although he was rebellious and irreverent at times, Rick was secretly a softy at heart. He loved to grow flowers from seed and snuggle with his pups, especially his best buddy, Steve. He will be missed beyond words, and remembered with every dusty backroad, every belly laugh, and every moment that reminds us not to take life too seriously.

We love you, Rick. But we know your last words were true. You loved us more.

Memorials
Rick never understood why people sent cut flowers; they’re already dead. In light of that, we recommend that you celebrate his life the way Rick wanted instead. Have a frozen margarita, spend time with someone you love, and tell a dad joke that makes someone groan. If you wish to make a donation in Rick’s memory, we suggest the following organizations that he supported regularly: Cato Historic Church & Cemetery and Poodle Patch & Friends Rescue. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Arrangements by A Natural State Funeral Service 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, Arkansas 72076. 501-982-3400. Online guestbook available at www.anaturalstatefuneralservice.com