Longtime Photographer Captured More Than Vikings Images

[Viktor]

There was other traveling, too: vacations out West or Saturday road trips Up North just to admire the changing colors during Minnesota autumns. Rick loved snapping photos of black-and-white loons floating on sleek lake surfaces, images that became part of the Kolodziejs' décor among framed photos of Nic and Jessi.


Rick was a family man, but beyond that he was simply a people person.


Ask anyone who knew him, and they'll tell you that he was much more than just a photographer, and he captured much more than just images – wherever Rick went, he seemed to capture the hearts of those he met.


"He loved everybody. He made friends so easily," said Nic. "He just got along with everybody."


Barb also emphasized her late husband's outgoing demeanor.


"He liked to talk to people. He wasn't much for talking a lot about himself, but he liked to ask people a lot of questions and find out about them," she said. "People all said that at the memorial service – they said how friendly he was and how much he cared about other people and what they were doing."


In January of 2019, Barb and Rick went on one last vacation together, a Caribbean cruise.


Rick had always been opposed to cruises, arguing that new destinations deserved to be fully explored and not just stopped at. But as cancer took its toll on his body, it's the type of trip that made the most sense.


"At the end, we talked about what a good time we had," Barb said. "And he had been feeling better then. He still had his walker, but he was getting around, and he did everything there was to do there and really enjoyed it. … He was really glad he went. It was a great time, and we had those memories to share."


The Vikings will always remember Rick's photographs, but his family hopes they'll also remember him for who he was.


"I was attracted to his sense of humor, and also that he was a good listener," Barb said. "You could tell him all kinds of stuff because he'd actually listen to you.


"He was my person," she added. "He's going to be missed."