Lothar Rickert, 84, of Dade City, Florida and formerly of Swanton, Vermont, passed away peacefully with loving family members by his side on February 11, 2024. Born in East Prussia and raised in Southern Germany, he emigrated solo at the young age of 21, first traveling to Montreal by boat with just $6 in his pocket. After four years, he left to pursue opportunities in the U.S., and his explorations took him to San Francisco and New York City before he found his way to Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. There, he met Philomena Kasper at a German social dance club and married her five months later in 1966. Together Lothar and Philo raised two children, Elke and Martin, eventually earning U.S. citizenship. They made their homes at various times in New York State, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Vermont as Lothars sought-after skills as a master cheesemaker presented him with new career opportunities. Among his proudest professional accomplishments was his third-place finish at the World National Cheese Championship in Wisconsin for his secret-recipe provolone. The family put down roots in Vermont, which reminded Lothar and Philo of their beloved Black Forest region of Germany. The couple made regular trips home to visit family, friends and classmates. In the 1980s, Lothar worked hard to get his pilots license in Kentucky, and loved to take family and friends for flights in a Cessna both there and in Vermont. He and Philo started playing golf in the 1990s in Vermont, and he liked to brag about his two holes-in-one. It was while playing golf that the couple met Sally Barber, whom Lothar regarded as a best friend and his honorary sister. In 1999, Lothar and Philo became "snowbirds," retiring to Florida and returning to Vermont to stay every summer until 2018. Lothar was endowed with a booming voicewhich never lost that trace of a German accentand a gift for storytelling. An enthusiastic member of the Elks Lodge, he always had a joke to share, which led to three or four more. He was an avid fan of hockey and soccer (which, of course, he called "football"), as well as his favorite TV show (and girlfriend) Judge Judy. He loved to gamble at poker games and casinos, and dabble in the stock market, and he usually came out on top in both pursuits. In later years they traveled through the United States and the world on adventurous road trips and festive cruises. Lothar never let more than a couple days go by without speaking to one or both of his children, and checking in with his grandchildren and various nieces and nephews, by phone and email. In addition to his wife of 57 years Philo, his survivors include: Daughter Elke and son-in-law Gilles Rainville Jr. of Georgia, Vermont; Son Martin and daughter-in-law Renate Rickert of Rottweil Germany, and grandchildren Kirsten and Justin Enegren, Emma and Claire Rainville, and Leilani and Keanu Rickert. He also leaves 12 nieces and nephews in Germany, his best friend Anton, good friend Hermann, and brother-in-law Heinrich.