Richard Ferris “Rick” Bousley

Richard Ferris “Rick” Bousley of Dexter, Michigan, age 78, passed away Monday, March 31, 2025, at his home in Dexter. Rick was born January 10, 1947, in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Ferris and Anna (Johnson) Bousley. 

Rick’s father was a member of the US Air Force and the family moved to Ann Arbor when his father retired. Rick graduated from Ann Arbor High School in 1965.  He attended Eastern Michigan University and worked weekends at Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research in Ann Arbor. Rick served in the Army and was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany during the Vietnam War.  After serving his country, he married Christel Schatz and moved to Berlin to attend The Academy of Fine Arts where he earned a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree and developed a lifelong love affair with the arts, primarily painting, drawing and sculpting.  

Rick and Christel had two daughters Denise and Cindy, both born in Germany.  In 1977 the family moved back to the United States and Rick returned to Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis/Pfizer working there until the facility was closed.  He joined Lycera Pharmaceutical in 2011and retired in 2019. 

Rick was fully engaged in life throughout. He was a lifelong learner, an avid reader, and a lover of art and history. He was also physically active. He was a weightlifter with an extensive home gym, a Certified Personal trainer, and an accomplished table tennis player with a home table and robot. He was a member of the 2001 Senior Olympics Table Tennis Team that won a bronze medal in doubles in Baton Rouge, LA.  He was on the Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis softball and bowling teams and was a talented enough bowler to have a 300 game to his credit. Rick also enjoyed fishing. He found relaxation and engagement there as he did with many other things.

Rick’s personality matched his passion for life. He was intelligent, thoughtful, patient, loving and kind. The things that Rick chose to do, he did well and he did them with humility, believing that a person’s deeds spoke for themselves. Considering the breadth and depth of Rick’s talent and education he could legitimately be called a Renaissance Man.

Rick married Cynthia “Cindi” Coxford on November 9, 1985, in Ann Arbor. It was the beginning of a very special and loving partnership that lasted throughout the rest of his life. He was a solid family man, supporting and loving his family in all ways. He furthered the education of his children, was an Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach for his son’s Dexter High School tennis team, made it a priority to attend all his children’s sporting events and helped them work through life’s journey. He was a person who put others before himself.

He is survived by his loving wife, Cindi; daughters, Denise (Michael) Parker of Galloway, Ohio, and Cindy Bousley of Westland; son, Chad (Helen Jiang) Bousley of Royal Oak; brother, Douglas (Paula) Bousley of Ida; brother-in-law, Chuck (Marsha) Ash; sister-in-law, Betty (David) Mayer of Anchorage, AK, sister-in-law, Masae Ash of Billings, MT; grandchildren, Garrett Bousley-Crane, Ezra Bousley-Crane, and Kennedy Parker; nieces, Tracey Zatyracz, Nicola Ash and Erica Ash; nephew, Andrew Ash; lifelong best friend, Dave Brethauer; and his beloved dog, Prudence. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Ruth Bousley; brother, Donald Bousley; brother-in-law, Steven Ash; and first wife, Christel Schatz.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, April 25, 2025, 2:00 pm, at the First United Methodist Church in Chelsea, with Rev. Joy Barrett officiating. The family will receive friends before the service from 1:00 – 2:00 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chelsea First United Methodist Church, https://chelseaumc.org/, the Parkinson’s Foundation, https://www.parkinson.org/. Arrangements were entrusted to Cole Funeral Chapel in Chelsea.