RichardNostbakkenappreciatedbriefandspontaneous.Iplanonbeingneither.If
“brevityisthesoulofwit”thenIplanonbeingthestupidestguyheretoday.Irefuse
toshortshrift43yearsofservice.
IfBillMurray,SorenKierkegaard,JoniMitchell,JohnCleesePabloPicasso,David
LettermanandClintEastwoodhadalovechild…whatwouldyoucallhim?Well…a
biologicalimpossibilityforstarters.OryoucouldcallhimRichardNostbakken,AKA
Rick…orBostynakken,AKAtheNostt…orRicardoMontalban,AKApleasespellyour
lastname…canyoupleasespellthatagainsir…that’snotveryfunnysir.
RichardNostbakkendetestedpublichonors,predictableformalities,overtdisplays
ofaffection,attemptstoexpresstheinexpressibleinafewshortminutesofpedantic
prose.Fortunatelyforme,eulogiesarenoneofthosethings.Whatistheantonym
ofthewordRick?Eulogy.SorryRickBUT,foronce,youhavetostayinonespotand
listentowhatyousounfailinglydidn’twantorneedtohearwhenyouwerewithus.
Soturnupthosehearingaidsandjustacceptyouhavetolistennowtohowmuch
youwillbemissed.
Itisahumblinganddauntingprivilegetobeamongstyoutodayandofferafew
wordsonbehalfoftheLutherCollegeemployees,students,andgraduates.Yes,they
willbewordsofdeepsorrowandintensegrief,butmoresoIhopetheywillbear
witnesstoandcelebratethestoryofthisremarkableman.I’mpainfullyawareof
theironythatRickwouldgenuinelylaughattheapparentsillinessofeventalking
abouthisworthinessandhiswell‐livedlife.Butinthesesituations,truthishealing.
Thesethenarethewords,memoriesandoutpouringsofgratitudeofRick
Nostbakken’ssecondfamily.…LutherCollege.IamespeciallyindebtedtoClint
Uhrich,SteveHaddadandErikNorbraten,Rick’sfaithfulfriendsandlongstanding
colleagueswhocontributedtothisremembrance.
IwantyoutoknowifRickwereherephysically,thisisaboutthetimewhenhe’d
walkout…ifhehadevensatdowninthefirstplace.He’dpaceattheback,headout
thedoor,godowntothekitchen,getasmallsoupbowl,fillitwithbaconorsausage
andthenroamthehallslookingforsomeproblemtotroubleshoot.
RickNostbakkenhadtwoloveaffairsinhislife.Thefirstwashisfamily.Hislovefor
allofyoumanifesteditselfinhisdailylifeatLuther.Irememberdistinctlytheday
hefirstfoundouthewasgoingtobeagrandpa.Hemayhavebeenanunderstated
Norwegianinallotherregards,butonthatdayhewasfull‐bloodedItalian.Hewas
positivelysoppy:Itwasembarrassing.Thetwinkleinhiseye,theheartburstingout
ofhischestneutralizedallhisotherNostbakkiancodes.Hewasoneproudpapa.
Butotherswillspeakoffamilythismorning.
Rick’ssecondloveaffairwaswithLutherCollege,itscalltotheliberalartsandits
calltofaithfullyliveoutthegospel.Beginningin1971,hebecameonmanylevels
virtuallyindistinguishablefromtheschool.Indeed,onecouldrarelythinkofone
withouttheother.RickhasdefinedandbeendefinedbyLutherCollege.Anew
wingwouldgoup…he’dgrowaponytail.
Afterthislong,exceptionalcareerasanArt(andEnglish/History)teacher,director
ofmusicals,IBcoordinator,andeclecticpresenceofreasonatLutherCollege,Rick
Nostbakkenformallyretiredin2001.
Nohedidn’t.Infact,hereturnedtoLutherthefollowingfall,andeversinceoffered
modestly,generously,andpatientlyhisacutelyperceptiveinsightsintowhat
characterizes‐‐andshouldcontinuetocharacterize‐‐LutherCollege.Rick’s
dedicationtotheschoolwasgroundedinhisintellectualrestlessness,inhisartistry
andboundlesscreativity,inhiscommitmenttofaithandservice,inhisuncanny
senseofwhatisgoodandright,and,inhisbroad,discerningperspective.Indeed,he
wasawell‐readphilosopher,historianandamateurtheologian.
LutherCollegeiswhatitistodayingoodpartbecauseithasbeentendedbyaman
whoneversoughtthanks,orrecognition,orevenacknowledgementforallthathe
socapablydidbehindthescenes,underthelibrary,underthestage,andinthe
officesandeverycorneroftheschool.
Inthewakeofhisprematureanddifficultpassingthetruthofthesestatementswas
repeatedlydemonstratedinthetributessofreelyofferedbyhisgrievingcolleagues:
Onesays,“heandAnnweresohospitableinopeningtheirhometoothers.
HowmanyLutherstaffpartiesdidtheyhost?Howgenerousweretheywithfood
anddrinkandmusicandinterestingconversation.Andaroundtheschool,noone
wasmoreinconspicuouslygenerousthanRick.Heboughtakeurigcoffeemakerfor
bothadministrativeofficesandamilk‐frotherwhenhediscoveredacolleague’slove
oflattesbecausehewasagenerous,caringpersonwhowantedtomakeothers
happy.
Anotherteacherquipped:Howcanamanbesoomnipresentandsohardto
findallatthesametime?TherunningjokewasifyouwerelookingforRick,just
standstill.
AgoodcolleaguecalledhimMr.FixIT.Hecouldhaveathousandmachines
andwhirringboxesallpluggedintooneoutletandstillhaveeverythingworking
effectivelysimplybecauseyouaskedforhishelp.Hebuiltthestaffroomwall,
helpedlaythecourtyardbricks,andbroughtinmanyofourITupgrades,justto
nameafew.
Rickoncetoldaclosecolleaguehecouldn’tswim.Nobigannouncement
normally,right?ToobadtheywereinalittlesailboatamileoffthecoastofMexico
whenheofferedthatcriticalinformation.
Anotherclosefriendstates,Rickwasauthenticallyhimselfnomatterthe
context,nomattertowhomhewasspeaking.Oneofthetraitsthatmadehim
specialisthathespoketostudentsashespoketoadults.Healwayspresumedtheir
worthandintelligence,evenwhencallingthemthelowestformofscum.
Hereisatributefromanotherfacultymember.Havingproducedmusicals
withRickforagazillionyears(hmmm,Iwonderwhothisanonymousspeakeris?)I
havealwaysappreciatedhiswonderfulartistry.Whocaneverforgetthe"elephant's
eye"hiddeninhisbackdroppaintingofthecornfieldsfortheshow
"Oklahoma".Rickhadanamazingsensefordirectingandpacingtheshow.
Yetanotherrelates,“WewerestudyingShakespeare'sJuliusCaesar.Fridays
weregametime.StudentswouldstateanAct,SceneandLine.FrommemoryMr.
Nostbakkenhadtwochancestoquotethelineaccurately.Ifhewasrightwehadto
dobookwork,butifhewaswronghehadtodoClintEastwoodimpressions
(becauseweallthoughthelookedlikeDirtyHarry).Hewasrarelywrongbuta
coupletimeswedidgettohearhimcallus"punks"…whichwewere.
OneofhisclosestcolleaguescommentedRick’sintelligentoftentimes
uncannyabilitytoseethings,situations,andproblemsfromadifferent,alarger
perspectivewasconsistentlyremarkable.Hisviewswereexpressedwithwitand
understatement,andwerealwaysdirectedbyprinciple,notself‐interest.
Anotherfacultymemberoffered,“Whatadelicioussenseofhumour,whata
wittyraconteur,whatanunrepentantpracticaljoker,likewhenhechainedFrau
Kuiper’scoffeecuptothetableinthestaffroom.”
Finally,andperhapsmostimportantly,thisonefromanewerfaculty
memberwhoimmediatelypickeduponRick’snaturalrapportwiththestudents.“I
quicklysensedthatRickwasachampionofthestudents,butwithoutseekingtheir
friendshiportheirapproval,andwithoutbreakingprofessionalranks.”
Asthispreviousfacultycommenthints,studentswereespeciallyimportantto
Rick…ashewastothem.Theyrespectedandrespondedtohimasattestedtobythe
heartfelttributesthathavefloodedthesocialmediasincehispassing.
Onesays,“Thereisnothingmoretosay.Nosttywasthecoolesteverbecause
hedidn’tnoticehewascoolanddidn’ttrytobecool.”
AnothercomesfromablogtributetoRickthatmanyofyoumayhavealready
read:“Ithinkit'sstrangetoacknowledgeteachershavinglivesoutsideofa
classroombecausetheirimpactonyourownlifeoutsideaclassroomis
immeasurable.It'sasifyourkindergartenteacherexistsonlytoteachyoucounting
andempathy,yourthirdgradeteachertoenforcealoveofreading,youreighth
gradeteachertoteachyoualoveofwriting,andyourartteachertoshowyouhow
muchbetteritis,evenasadesperate‐to‐be‐popularteenager,tobeanoutsider
lookinginattheworld,andrecognizingallofitsinherentbeautyandabsurdity.”
Anotheralumstated,“TheNosttdidn’tplayfavourites.Hewasfairbecause
hemockedusallequally.”
Thenwrittenonlyadaybeforehepassedandwrittenwithoutknowledgeof
Rick’sdirehealth:“Youinspiredmewithyourwordsandactions.WhatIlovemost
isthatyoudidn’tknowit.Andyoudidn’trememberme…thistoo,wasanimportant
andhumblinglifelessonforme.ButIwantyoutoknowthatyoureachedan
unremarkablestudent.Thatyoumattered.ThatIhavesucceeded,inlargepart,
becauseofyou.Mostimportantly,Iwanttothankyouforbeingtheverybest
teacherIeverhad–atanylevel.Itmadeallthedifferenceinmylife,andIamjust
oneofthefacesthatmakeupyourgreatlegacy.
Andfinally,thehumourous.Oneofthetiniestandfrailestinternational
studentstoeverattendLutherwasayoungmannamedTadeuChan.Tadeuwould
shufflefromclasstoclasswithhisslippersonandhisteamugthatwasbiggerthan
heinhand.Mostoften,Tadeuwouldsitatthefrontandstareblanklyattheteacher,
andalmostneverspeak.ButhelovedRickandwouldtrytofollowhimthroughthe
halls,thepenguinfollowinginthewakeofthegiraffe.Onedayinclasshetimidly
raisedhishandandsaid,“Mr.Nostbakken,youlooklikeJesus.”ThenTadeu,who
rarelylaughed,laughedandlaughed.Fewteachersinspiresuchunconditionaltrust
andjoyinstudents.Rick,respondedwithhisusualunderstatedhumour:“Jesussaid
someokstuff.”
Ofcourse,Rickwouldbemostuncomfortablehearingallthis,solestweappearto
bedeifyinghim,wealsocelebratethefactthathewashumanwithfoiblesand
idiosyncrasies.
Forexample,hecouldbeobstinate…mulelikeIheardoneofhissiblingssay.
AbiblicaldonkeyIheardanothersay.
HewouldoftenspeaktomeofhisoccasionalNordicmelancholy,andthe
blacknessthatwouldtemporarilydescendonhim.
Hisintelligencecouldsometimesbeexpressedinintimidatingandwithering
waysandyetyounevertrulyfeltitwaspersonal;youstillwantedhimtolikeyou.
Andnomatterwhatwassaid,heneverstoppedspeakingtoyouordoingthingsfor
you.
He’dtellhisclosestfriendsatschoolhesmokedmorethanhewantedto,that
heworriedtoomuchaboutthethingsatLutherhecouldn’tcontrol.
Healsowasthemasterofselectiveandstrategicallytimeddeafness.There
wasastaffmeeting??Sorry,didn’thearyou.
Rickalsocouldbesuchanenigma,suchastudyincontrasts.
Wejustheardanexamplefromastudent.Thatis,heoftenchangedthelives
ofstudentswhosenameshecouldn’tevenremember.
Hecouldsingtotheentireschoolinchapelthatgrade9’swerethelowest
formofscumandyettheexperienceonlyseemedtointensifythemutualloveand
admirationbetweenteacherandstudent,andgalvanizethecommunity.
Hewasadramaenthusiastwithaflareforavoidingdrama.
Hehadamindlikeasteeltrap,butthenwouldshowuptoteachondays
whentherewasn’tanyschool…infactfourtimessinceI’vebeenprincipal…andthen
proceedtotelleveryoneabouthismixupandlaughhimselfsillyattheirony.
HewentfromArtteachertoITspecialist.
Heembracedcomplexityandambiguityyettookgreatdelightinthesimple.
Hewassimultaneouslyadreamerandvisionary,butprojectedbothinself‐
effacingandunderstatedways.
Andhereistheclincher….themomentIstartedtoworrymostabouthimasa
man…hetradedinhisMotorcycleforaWinnebago.Thatalmostendedour
friendship.
Whilethesemayseemtothecasualobserverascontradictions,theyinsteadspeak
tothebreadthofRick’stalentsandinterests.
√
HeplayedguitarandsanginplacesrangingfromtheopenspacesofAneroid,
tothecoffeehousesofPrinceGeorge,tothegymnasiumatLutherCollege.
√
Hewasanationallyrecognizedandsoughtafterartist.Heandgoodfriend
ErikNorbratenhadoneoftheirdesignsputonastamp.
√
HewasacookbestknownforhismeanSwedishMeatballs.(Weallknow
theyreallywereNorwegianmeatballsthatthedamnSwedesstole.)
√
HeandAnnannuallytendedfullgardens.
√
HelovedthefrequentNostbakkenreunions,relishinginfamilyandsongand
conversation.
√
HeappreciatedDoonsburyandDilbertcomicsbecausetheyoftenprovided
précisesofLutherandthehumancondition.
√
Hewasaboxingandsoccerafficianado,adartsplayer(infacttheonly
lefthanderonourJedidartsteam).Weplayedwhatyoumightcallqualitydartsina
Christiancontextaswelearnedtofacefrequentlosseswithhumilityandgrace.The
veryfirsttimeIplayedwiththedartsteam,oneofmydartshitawireontheboard
anddroppedtothefloor.Rickcameoverandquietlysaidwithastoicalface,“Don’t
aimforthewires.”
√
Weranmarathonstogether,orratherwestartedmarathonsatthesametime
asRickwastypicallymilesaheadofme.HewasthecoyoteandIwastherhino.
He’deffortlesslyandelegantlylopealonglikeagazelle,andI’dhuffandpuffbehind
himallmyjowls,stomachsandcheeksslappingagainsteachother.
√
HeenjoyedLutefisk,qualitycheesesandmeats,GrandMarnier,Bushwakker
beer,agoodwine,movieslikeBabette’sFeast,TheGood,theBadandtheUgly,and
musicalartistslikeEricClapton,violinistslikeHeifitzandKreisler,andhadthis
weirdaffinityforPaulAnka.Somehow“HavingMyBaby”justdoesn’tfitwithhis
PrinceGeorgecoffeehousepersona.
Eventhoughherefusedtospeakinclichés,hedidhavehispetphrases:
√
Iwasunderwhelmed.
√
Attendance?Idon’tevenknowwhoyouare!
√
Andthenwhenhethoughtsomepublicperformancewasespeciallysublime
orwelldone,hewoulddeadpan,6outof10,6outof10myfriend.
√
OrGertrudeStein’s“There’snotherethere.”
√
Totheofficestaff,“Didyoutrytheonbutton?”
√
Comingintomyofficeat8:00inthemorningandsaying,“IthinkI’vebeenall
Icanbetoday.”
√
Sometimesawalljustwantstobeawall.
√
AndperhapshismostfamousLutherlineafteraguestspeakercametoone
ofourstaffmeetings:“Iwasfinishedbeforehewas.”
Andsuchistruenow.Rickwouldhavetunedmeoutlongago.SoIwanttocloseby
tellingyouabouttheRickIknow,thefriend,thementor,theolderbrotherInever
had,theguyIcouldsayanythingtoandaskanythingof.
TheRickIknowwasabletoapplyhissurgicalcriticalreflectionstohimself,as
demonstratedduringoneofmylastconversationswithhim.Hesaid,“Iusedto
ridiculemaudlinandmushyemotionaloutpourings.Todaymaudlinisgood.”
TheRickIknewwasapersonofmoralintegrity,spiritualdepth,economyof
expression,wit,unfetteredimaginationandintellectualacuity.
TheRickIknewmadeusallmoreaccountableasthinkers,teachersandhuman
beings.
TheRickIknewwasabletoopenlyweepashetoldmeafterhisdiagnosisthatit
wasn’tdyingorpainortheuncertaintiesofmortalitythatwereuppermostinhis
mind.Ratherhesaid,“Mydeepestsorrow‐‐beyondleavingfamilybehind‐‐isthatI
won’tbeabletoreturntoLuthereveragain.Ididn’tfullyrealizeuntilnowwhat
thatcommunityhasmeanttome.Ithasbeenmylife.”
TheRickIknewwasagoodman,who,thoughshyerthanyoumightrealize,hada
genuineloveforhumanity.
TheRickIknewhadtheperfectbalanceofspiritualmaturity,physicalfortitudeand
highlyrefinedreasoningabilitiestofacewhathedidthelastfewmonthswith
courageanddignity.Herefusedtowallowintheself‐pityofwhymeoritisn’tfair,
infactsayingtomeneartheend,“Therearenoissuesoffairness…whocansaywho
deserveswhat?”
TheRickIknewdweltinthesubtextoflanguage,inthepristinenegativespacesof
hisart,inmusicalsilences,andinthemiseryofhumour.
GoodfriendClintUhrichechoesthisideaatonepointinhispoetictributetoRick:
“Ricklivedinthespacesbetweenobjectsthatseemtobeemptybutarenotempty,
andthat’swherehemademeaning.Hecaughtthespacesbetweenthingsandlived
inthespacesbetweenobjectsandformswheretruthlies…Hewasoftenmysterious
tousbecausewearetooordinary;weseethingsaswethinktheyare,notbeyond
themasthegreatman,theartistseesthem,seesintothespacesbetweenthem.Rick
nowiswherehehasalwaysbeen,inthespacesbetweenthings,whereGodis.”
Ann,Kris,Jonathon,Sorenandfamily,mayyourdeepgriefbetemperedbythe
knowledgethatyourfatherwasawell‐lovedmanwhoprofoundlyimpactedthe
livesofliterallythousandsofpeople.WewillgratefullynurturethekindofLuther
Rickchampionedandsopatiently,sogenerouslyandsolovinglygardened.His
footprintsareeverywherehere.
SothanksbetoGodalmightyforthisremarkablelife,forthegiftofRichardJonathan
Nostbakkenamongstus.NOWRick,mybrother,I’mfinallyfinished.“Goodnight
sweetprinceandflightsofangelssingtheetothyrest!”Andbytheway,6.1outof
10…myfriend.