Rick Waldorf (Harry)

Rick Waldorf, 64, of Missoula left Sunday night, Dec. 27, 2015, in his sleep for a long gig somewhere beautiful and close enough, if you listen closely, you can hear him playing.

Rick was blessed with two separate lives, the first noticeably cooler one started Dec. 20, 1951, where he lived in an apartment over a candy store in Brooklyn. He moved to the Los Angeles area as a young boy, eventually working at age 16 at a leather/Indian Jewelry/head shop on Hollywood Boulevard where the poor kid had to help young women tie their halter tops. He taught himself to play the bass and hooked up with Frank and Richie and the guys in an amazing twist of fate that became the Live Wire Choir. His escapades included gigs in Harrah's on the bill with Glen Campbell and Sammy Davis Jr. He toured successfully for many years making a living as a musician, escaping near death several times in the infamous tour bus Mona. He fell in love with Missoula and eventually landed here in the early '80s living in a dive apartment with his beloved golden retriever Dona and going to technical school for electronics. The list of local bands he played with over the coming years is long and impressive (if you played with Rick, you know who you are).

Rick's second not-so-cool-but-just-as-happy-and-blessed life started when he met the love of his life, Teresa, in the Hayloft Saloon in Lolo in summer 1990. He was playing, she was gazing at the bass player. Within a year they moved in together, moving out his cinder block shelves and replacing them with her white furniture, bought a house, got engaged in a hot air balloon and got married. They had two beautiful red-haired boys, Sam, now 22 and a musician himself, and Drew, now 19, a computer-savvy guy just like his dad.

Rick worked at the University of Montana for almost 25 years as a network specialist. Rick had hundreds of friends, all of whom know he had a warm smile and a genuine interest in them. He believed we should never sweat the small stuff and always thought the best of people. Rick could fix almost anything. Those of us hanging out here waiting to hang with him again someday include his wife Teresa; sons, Sam and Drew; siblings, Danny, Lizzie, Barbie, and step-siblings Laura, Mark, Larry and Karen, and all of his friends. Listening to him play up front and center right now are his mom Annie; step-dad Mike; dad Louie, and goldens, Dona and Duena.

The ceremony for Rick will be Saturday, Jan. 2, at 4 p.m. at University Congregational Church in Missoula with a party/jam session at the Union Club downtown after. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to the Rick Waldorf Memorial Fund, money to be used to buy guitars and lessons for kids who could otherwise not afford them and to help out some aging musicians in New Orleans.


Read Rick Waldorf's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.