Longtime bookseller William "Bill" Rickman died on July 18 at the age of 81.
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Rickman began his bookselling career at Kroch's & Brentano's as a stock boy in 1963 and rose to become president of the Chicago-area bookselling company, which at its height had nearly 20 locations, until it closed in 1995. In 1996, he and his wife, Ursula, moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and became owners of the Island Bookstores. Beginning with the store in Duck, they added locations in Corolla and Kitty Hawk. Ursula died in 2016, and in 2021, Rickman sold Island Bookstores to staff member Susan Sawin. Rickman was also a board member of the American Booksellers Association.
As the official obituary noted, "Bill led a passionate life, fervently loving his family and humbly serving the communities in which he lived. As a lifelong bookseller, he enriched peoples' lives one book at a time. His infectious enthusiasm, curiosity, and generous spirit will be missed... 'Bookstore Bill,' as he was affectionately called, continued to enhance the lives of generations of readers and mentor young people as they embarked on their educations and careers."
A Service of Thanksgiving for Rickman's life will be held at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Southern Shores, N.C., at 2 p.m., on Saturday, November 9. Memorials can be made to the World Wildlife Organization, Corolla Wild Horse Fund, and Evergreen Hospice Care.