Reiko Rick Nihart

Reiko "Ricky" Nihart, age 78, of Hyner, died at Bucktail Medical Center on Sunday, April 25, 2010, where she had been a resident since April 3, 2006. She was born in Japan on September 14, 1931. Ricky met and married Jimmy Nihart, deceased, while he was stationed in Japan and traveled across the ocean by herself to make a home for them in Hyner. Ricky was preceded in death by both her parents and a sister. She was also preceded in death by Leroy Hack, a devoted friend who was a lifelong friend of the Nihart family. He befriended Ricky when she needed a true friend. Ricky was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Renovo and loved her church very much. She is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Peg and Paul Embick of S. Renovo, Chuck and Kelly Nihart, brother and sister-in-law of Hyner and sister-in-law LaRae Zuback of Mill Hall. She was also a great aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was always known as a wonderful hand decorator of cakes. You could give her a picture and she would create from it. She had customers from all over Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Cake decorating was her favorite pastime and every cake showed her excellent talent. Ricky also had the talent of making clay models of mountain scenes, waterfalls, and more. She would order supplies from her home country of Japan. Ricky was a frequent visitor to Renovo Elementary School to demonstrate the customs of her home country such as dress and paper bird making. When she was not decorating cakes she loved to fish, hunt for deer and bear, and loved the outdoors. She was also an animal lover and always had a pet dog. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Renovo on Friday, April 30, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Richard Tomkosky officiating. Friends will be received at the church one hour prior to the Mass. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery in Hyner. Memorials are requested to the Bucktail Medical Center. Maxwell Funeral Home of Renovo is in charge of the arrangements.