Richard Lee Tanner

Richard (Rick) Lee Tanner was born May 2, 1947, in Toledo, Ohio, and passed away on August 30, 2026, in Ocala, Florida, where he had made his home since 2004.

Rick was a proud 1966 graduate of Macomber High School in Toledo, where he studied the electrical trade and began what would become an extraordinary career as an electrician, craftsman, inventor, and entrepreneur.

Rick began his professional career with the Kaufman Company, eventually becoming head of its electrical department. During his time at Kaufman, Rick was a co-developer of shrink oven technology, an accomplishment that reflected his exceptional technical ability and inventive mind. In 1971, he started his own company, Toledo Combustion Equipment, continuing a career devoted to engineering, problem-solving, and customer service.

Rick’s talents extended well beyond his professional life. He loved to invent, tinker, and figure out how things worked. If something could be built, repaired, modified, or improved, Rick was likely to give it a try. His natural curiosity and remarkable ability to work with his hands were qualities that remained with him throughout his life.

Rick especially loved being on the water. A 20-year member of the Toledo Yacht Club, he enjoyed boating and fishing and was affectionately known to family as "Captain Rick." He owned a 46-foot boat and spent countless hours enjoying the water and creating memories with family and friends. For Rick, boating was about more than simply being on the water—it was about adventure, freedom, and the stories that came with it. One unforgettable adventure involved a different boat that caught fire, forcing him to jump overboard while wearing bell-bottom jeans and steel-toed boots, then watch as the flaming boat sank to the bottom of Lake Erie.

In 2004, Rick moved from Toledo to Ocala, Florida, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Rick is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Elizabeth “Beth” Tanner; his children, Janice Quoresimo, Richard Tanner, Jr. (Carol), and Dina Treadaway (Tim); nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Lucy Tanner, and his three sisters, Nancy Leiter, Bonnie Fleming, and Judy LaVallee.

Rick was one of those people who left an impression simply by being himself. He was endlessly curious, independent, inventive, and always ready for the next project, the next adventure, or the next thing to figure out. He was also very funny and loved a good practical joke, often finding ways to make the people around him laugh. Whether he was working with his hands, out on the water as Captain Rick, pulling a prank, or simply spending time with the people he loved, Rick had a way of making life interesting.

Captain Rick may have left the helm, but the wake he leaves behind is wide and lasting. He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered by the family and friends whose lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Rick’s memory to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of Marion County.

A private Celebration of Life service will be held in Toledo, Ohio, followed by a memorial service and interment in Rubicon, Wisconsin.