Ricky Gerald "Rick" Wade

Ricky Gerald Wade, known to most as Rick and to many longtime friends as “Cotton,” passed away unexpectedly on September 25, 2026, at the age of 67. His sudden loss leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of his family, friends, colleagues, and the many people whose lives were made better simply by knowing him.

Rick lived a remarkable life defined by service, an endless desire to learn, an ability to do just about anything he set his mind to, and above all, a deep devotion to his family.

Rick spent 20 years serving with the Arlington Police Department, retiring at the age of 39 as a Sergeant. During his career, he served in K-9, auto theft, SWAT, narcotics, and leadership within the department’s training center. While working in law enforcement, he also earned a degree in Chemistry from Texas Wesleyan University in 1993.

Retirement did little to slow Rick down. He eventually found another calling in healthcare, earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University in 2013, his Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University in 2014, and his Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama in 2017. He went on to care for patients through Texas Health Resources in Azle and later Willow Park, where he became far more than a healthcare provider to those around him.

Rick was respected tremendously by those who worked alongside him. He was a mentor, a trusted colleague, a dependable friend, and a seemingly endless source of knowledge and reassurance.

Yet for all he accomplished, his degrees, titles, and careers were never the measure of the man.

Rick was brilliant but remarkably humble, a fantastic storyteller, endlessly curious, and fiercely dependable. He was the person you called when you needed an answer because chances were, Rick either knew it or would figure it out.

There was almost always a project underway. Whether working on the ranch, building something, doing carpentry, fixing something, or simply finding another problem to solve, Rick was happiest when he had something to figure out. A true jack of all trades, there seemed to be very little he couldn’t do. And when something wasn’t quite perfect, he could usually concede that it was good enough to get the job done. As Rick would say, “Close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades.”

He loved his ranch, rodeo, Texas Tech, sports, fishing, hunting, and the yearly gatherings with longtime friends who remained an important part of his life. He valued friendship deeply and carried many of those relationships across decades.

Rick’s faith in God was also an important part of his life and the foundation beneath so much of what he valued. His family finds comfort in knowing that while his time with them ended far too soon, his story did not. They hold tightly to the promise that he is now in the presence of the Lord and that this goodbye is not forever.

But nothing mattered to Rick more than his family. Rick shared 45 years with his wife, Cindy Wade, with whom he built a life, a family, and a lifetime of memories. He was a devoted husband and an extraordinary father and grandfather. His family knew him as their steady presence, the one they could call, count on, learn from, laugh with, and lean on.

Rick is survived by his wife, Cindy Wade; his children, Cole Wade, Mary and Zach Odell; his beloved grandchildren, Annalynn, Rune, and Chaytan Odell; his mother, Faye Hemming; his father, Billy Wade; his stepfather, John Hemming; his stepbrother, Ian Hemming and his wife, River; and many treasured friends, colleagues, and extended family members.

Rick lived many lives in his 67 years- police officer, Sergeant, K-9 handler, scholar, nurse, healthcare provider, mentor, storyteller, outdoorsman, craftsman, husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Yet to the people who loved him most, none of those titles fully capture him. He was simply Rick,the man you called when you needed help, an answer, a story, some perspective, or someone you knew would show up.

His knowledge was extraordinary. His accomplishments were many. His stories were legendary. But his greatest legacy will always be the family he loved, the people he served, the friends he stood beside, and the countless lives he changed along the way.

He was deeply respected, profoundly loved, and will be missed beyond what words can express.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday at Dennis Baptist Church. Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Dennis Baptist Church 7600 FM 1189, Lipan, Tx 76462.