SPRINGFIELD ~ Richard E. “Rick” Nickerson, 66, of the Hungry Hill section of Springfield, was Called Safely Home on Saturday, February 23, 2019. He passed into Eternal Life at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family. He was born in Ludlow on September 24, 1952, the beloved son of the late William Nickerson and Irene (Black) Nickerson Lamontagne. He was raised in the North End section of Springfield, graduated from the former Springfield Trade High School and had later moved to the Hungry Hill section of Springfield. He was employed as a cable splicer for 31 years at the former Northeast Utilities/Western Mass Electric Company, which later became Eversource, and retired in 2015. He was a communicant of the former Our Lady of Hope Church in Springfield. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 455 in Springfield and was a former member of the Chicopee Elks Lodge 1849. He was a die-hard New York Yankees and New England Patriots fan. He also loved riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Most of all, Rick loved spending time with his family and his many friends. He leaves his beloved wife and best friend, Maureen A. “Moe” (Aberdale) Nickerson. They were married on June 19, 1982 at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield and were blessed with over 36 years of happiness together. He also leaves his two loving daughters, Karly A. Nickerson of Springfield and Jenny E. Nickerson and her fiancé, Ryan M. Merritt, of Enfield, CT; his dear sister, Mary “Betty” Taylor and her husband, John, of Springfield; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, numerous friends and extended members of the Nickerson and Aberdale families. Rick will also be missed by his furry friends, Chloe and Cooper. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his dear sister, Carol Menard; and his dear father-in-law and mother-in-law, Al and Colletta (Rogers) Aberdale. His funeral will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107, (funeral home will open at 9:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01104. His burial will be private at the convenience of his family. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, February 28, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Foundation, Inc., 3610 West Market Street, Suite 110, Akron, OH 44333 or the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, P.O. Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101-6307. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com