Reverend Ricardo “Rick” Lockhart was born on Feb. 7, 1953, in Seattle, Washington. He was the third of four children born to Crillion and Edna Lockhart, who were originally from Louisiana.
He was raised in a family that instilled faith, love, legacy, deep values and traditions in their children.
His father, Crillion, worked at Lockheed Shipyard and impressed upon all his sons that hard work was the only way for a boy to develop into a sound young man. His mother was an elementary school teacher and principal and extolled the benefits and necessity of a good, solid education.
Ricardo was also known as Rick or Ricky.
His parents knew that the best way to keep their children out of trouble was to keep them involved in church and extracurricular activities. One of the things they chose was creating a band called Daryl Lockhart and the Rivers of Love. The band was wildly popular in the ’70s.
While in college, he was given the opportunity to work at United Parcel Service in 1973. He gained favor with both God and his employer and was promoted into management. UPS was a hard taskmaster that believed in driving its employees to excellence in every facet of their careers. Rick worked at UPS for 34 years, retiring in 2008.
He came from a long line of preachers. His great-grandfather was Rev. Henry Hollinquest, who founded and pastored Holland Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Simsboro (Arcadia), Louisiana. His grandfather was Rev. L.S. Tobin, who pastored Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Seattle and later founded and pastored St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church in Seattle with his wife, Mother Arbella Tobin.
His mother, Edna Tobin Lockhart, was a founding member of St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church and, along with her late husband, Crillion, founded Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, where he was called to pastor on Oct. 18, 2015.
He was one of four preachers from the Tobin branch: Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Tobin Sr., Rev. Ricardo Lockhart and Rev. Sean Levias. Powerful preachers stemming from Rev. L.S. Tobin; praise the Lord. We also honor the late Rev. Raymond Tobin, gone but never forgotten. May he rest in peace.
Blessed above measure indeed, Rick and his wife, Natalie, have eight children, 22 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Crillion Lockhart, affectionately and universally called “Dad” not only by his children but by many others who knew him, and by his daughter, Chardelle Patrice Spencer.
He leaves to deeply mourn and grieve his passing his wife and life partner of 47 years, Natalie Maxine; his mother, Edna Tobin Lockhart of Seattle; his uncle, Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Tobin Sr. of Seattle, Washington; his uncle, Parnell Lockhart of Anchorage, Alaska; his only sister, Deanna (Walter) Ayala Hill of Seattle, Washington; his brothers, Bruce (Maria Lolita) Lockhart of Kent, Washington, and Daryl (Lordy) Lockhart of Seattle, Washington; his sons, Derrick (Mauri) Lockhart of Covington, Washington; Mario (Lily) Lockhart of Marysville, Washington; Donnell “DJ” Pennywell of Renton, Washington; Dominique (Maribel) Lockhart and Adrian Lockhart of Los Angeles, California; his daughters, Kimberly (Victor) Fuller of Chicago, Illinois, and Lorna (Jamie Totten) Pennywell of Portsmouth, Virginia; 22 grandchildren: Sakeyla (Jonathan) Evans of Lakewood, Washington; Mia Lockhart of Seattle, Washington; Celina (Joseph Villar) Lockhart of Phoenix, Arizona; Bryce and Chase Fuller of Chicago, Illinois; Ladaysha (Rudy Vasquez) and Aniya Spencer of Los Angeles, California; Amoni Spencer of Renton, Washington; Chris Jr. and Latosha Spencer of Seattle, Washington; Kendall and Jordyn Lockhart of Atlanta, Georgia; Damien Janson of Greenville, South Carolina; Aseneth Castaneda, Ariana (Joshue) Herrera, Amaya (Isaac) Brown and Aman Castaneda of Marysville, Washington; Justice and Bradyn Patterson of Ledyard, Connecticut; Valentino and Laylani Lockhart of Los Angeles, California; and nine great-grandchildren: Messiah Sutton Evans, Iyauna and Emilio Evans of Lakewood, Washington; Khalani and Kelis Sutton and Kiyomi Scott of Seattle; Arabella and Joseph Villar Jr. of Phoenix, Arizona; and Zaire Vasquez of Los Angeles, California, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, dear friends and acquaintances far too numerous to name.
