Julio E. ��Rick�� Ricart

Julio E. ""Rick"" Ricart, 80, passed away April 6, 2015. He was born in Santo Domingo, DR as the youngest of three siblings and moved to New York, NY as a young boy. He was a natural born student and loved learning about the world around him, including mastering 5 languages and becoming a US Citizen. As a young man he was an amateur boxer before going to work for KLM Airlines and Sabena Airlines. It was while he was there that he discovered a passion for sending people to Israel, Egypt & Jordan to experience a pilgrimage throughout the Holyland. Together with five of his friends they formed Wholesale Tours which was the first company to put together Christian group pilgrimage tours to Israel. In 1972, he left Wholesale Tours and formed Travelink Tours International (the original TTI-Tours) in Wheeling, IL, which he owned and operated until his retirement in 2002. After his retirement he moved to SW Florida and eventually settled in Lakeland. Rick had a magnetic personality that drew people to him and he loved to share his knowledge of the world and his travels with others. He loved his family and never missed an opportunity to share how proud he was of his children and his grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Alice. He is survived by his sister Esperanza Guzman of Florida, his daughter Joanne Brunetti of Colorado, his son Scott Miller of Florida, his daughter Darlene Mills of Illinois, his son Richard Ricart of Florida and his eight grandchildren. There are no public services scheduled.