Rick was born in Toronto, Ontario on May 17, 1950, to Evelyn Ambrey and Bill (Suekichi) Imai and was the older brother to Vincent. Rick graduated from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1973 as a civil engineering technologist and obtained his professional engineering designation in 1981. He began his career at MacLaren’s Engineering in Toronto and when the company amalgamated with SNC-Lavalin, Rick took a position with EPEC in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1984 Rick started his own consulting firm, Ptarmigan Engineering Limited which he operated until his retirement.
Rick, a devoted family man, met his future wife Maralee at Midland Avenue Collegiate and they married in April 1974. Tracy was born in 1978 and in 1983 they welcomed their second daughter, Wendy. In 2009, Rick was over the moon to become the grandpa to Peter and Kristen.
In 1991 Rick caught the travel bug when he toured Brazil. He was fortunate to travel to many beautiful and exotic places with his wife, with his children, and with his friends.
Through Rick’s life journey, he found a new love, golf! He joined the Windermere Golf and Country Club and spent countless hours with friends on the fairways. When snow began to impede his performance, he and Maralee purchased a property in Phoenix so he could work on his swing (score) all year round.
Rick is survived by his wife of 50 years, Maralee, his daughters Tracy Imai and Wendy (Jerome) Pon, his grandchildren, Peter and Kristen Stretch and his brother Vince.
There will be a celebration of Rick’s life on April 28, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Hainstock’s Funeral Home in Edmonton.
Should you wish, the family asks that a donation be made in Rick’s name to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Alberta Lung Association.
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