Rick Caughey, Prominent Human Rights Activist, Passes Away

Rick Caughey, Prominent Human Rights Activist, Passes Away

by Dan Bacher

Elrick "Rick" Caughey, a well known Sacramento human rights activist, passed away September 30 at age 90 surrounded by loving friends as he was in life. He will be remembered for his many volunteer activities and his leadership at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento.

At age 70, Rick learned Spanish and made many trips to Mexico, Spain, Peru, Cuba and Central America. His keen mind and lively interest in other cultures made him a sought-after traveling companion. He enjoyed all kinds of music, dance, and good food.

Rick believed in human rights for all, a belief he said came from watching his family feed "hobos" during the Depression and from serving in Europe in World War II. He worked such that people everywhere would have their basic needs met.

He participated in many historical events, including the WTO (World Trade Organization) protests in Seattle in 1999 and the Zapatista march on Mexico City in 2001. He was also a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge when he was in the military. He was an absolutely fearless individual that stood up against war, racism and violations of human rights wherever he went.

He was one of the key activists with the Central America Action Committee, Sacramento Area Peace Action, Zapatista Solidarity Coalition and numerous other peace and justice organizations. He was a regular participant in and organizer of protests, rallies, speaking engagements and other events regarding a variety of progressive issues. Everybody who knew and worked with Caughey over the years will miss him greatly.

Caughey was a member of the "Greatest Generation" who helped defeat the Nazis and Hitler's war machine in Europe. After the war, he married, raised a family and became an activist for peace and justice. If only there were more people who treated others like Caughey did and shared his commitment to human rights and social justice, this would be a much better world.

Rick is survived by his sister Mary and his beloved son, Clark with his wife and family. For more information about his memorial service on October 17 at 3 pm, please contact the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95825-4803, (916) 483-9283. Honor Rick through donations to the Caughey Fund he set up for youth work at UUSS.