When we first met Rick

Jim and I were newly married and living and working in Los Angeles as a composer and producer. I had met Soozie Reynolds through a non-profit called Associates in Media and she and Jim and I loved serving the creative professional community in Hollywood. I was the producing director of the 8th annual Women in Film Festival and Soozie was head of mobilizing volunteers to serve the women filmmakers who came to LA from all over the world to screen their films, meet one another and learn from one another. Soozie had a heart and connection to Russian filmmakers but knew that when they came she would need an excellent translator for them. So, a friend of a friend recommended to Soozie a young American man who spoke fluent Russian to help us. He lived on the East coast and yet she gave him a call. Soozie told me that this young man seemed very capable, kind and generous and that he was willing to come to LA and work through the film festival for nothing, if we could just find him housing. Jim and I said, "Absolutely, let him stay with us!" Rick arrived and immediately changed all of our lives. Jim and I couldn't have had a kinder, more brilliant, wise, understanding, patient, insightful, passionate new friend, and Soozie fell in love! Jim and I have had the honor through the years, from that first day of meeting Rick and embracing him as part of our family, to share incredible and memorial moments together; with Soozie, with each of their children as they came along, with communication from Russia to LA for years, and then to Yale. We haven't spent enough time in person, but our hearts have always been connected and until Rick's last breath and beyond, he has been a source of great wisdom, inspiration and love to us! Rick is one of the most Christ-like men we have ever met. We are honored to have been one of his friends and we know that by his life, his work and his love, that he has made the world a better place. We will miss you Rick, but we are also looking forward to seeing you again, with Jesus, as whole, healthy renewed bodies for eternity, to be creative, thoughtful, read books, watch films, tell stories and love one another, more than ever! Soozie, Heidi, Hannah and RJ, our hearts go out to you, we are praying for supernatural strength, love, and healing, but know that you too inspire us by how you live your lives and love people. The Schneider family is a gift to all who know you and beyond! With love forever, Karen and Jim Covell