Irvin Richard "Rick" Rash Jr.

Irvin Richard “Rick” Rash Jr., of  LaGrange, died Friday, May 5, 2023, in Sadieville, KY, after a long battle with brain cancer.  He was 71 years old.

The first of four children, Rick was born February 27, 1952, in Louisville, Kentucky, to the late Ruth Hartlage and Irvin Richard Rash Sr.  He graduated from Oldham County High School in 1970, attended Westpoint Military Academy for two years before completing his Political Science degree at the University of Louisville in 1975. In 1977 he met and married his wife Norma of 25 years. They made their home in Crestwood, where they raised their two children, Richard and Jessica. In 1986, Rick opened Wallpaper Liquidators, followed by the Decor Store in 1990, both in Crestwood. In 1994 he was first elected to the Oldham County Fiscal Court, where he served for 16 years. He retired as Oldham County’s Circuit Court Clerk in 2017.  

Rick had a personality that could fill a room.  He took his time telling a joke and never met a stranger.  His favorite pastime was having spirited conversations over local politics with friends. A lifelong Oldham Countian, he was a proud Republican devoted to public service. He was also a faithful member of the Crestwood United Methodist Church for more than 60 years, where he was a longtime member of the choir. He enjoyed problem-solving, fishing, and gospel music. He had a soft spot for animals, and despite overwhelming evidence that raccoons, opossums, and other “critters” could survive in the wild on their own, he would faithfully set a meal out for his neighborhood critters every night. Finally, for the past 10 years, he was immensely proud to add the title of P-Paw to his list of credentials.

He is survived by his two children Irvin Richard Rash III (Samantha) of Lagrange and Jessica Bowman (Chris) of Lawrenceburg; three brothers, Kim Rash, Roger Hartlage, and Jerome “Dutch” Hartlage; and six grandchildren, Meredith, Peyton, Henry, Anna, Rowan, and Sarah.  

His parents, Ruth Hartlage and Irvin Richard Rash Sr., preceded him in death.

Services will be Tuesday May 9th at Crestwood United Methodist Church from 2:30 pm to 8 pm, Funeral service will be Wednesday May 10th at 11am, Burial to follow at Floydsburg Cemetery. 

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