Richard (Rick) Dean Drager, age 69, passed away on December 27, 2018 at his home in Davis, CA, peacefully with family by his side and music playing, after a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer.

 

Rick, son of the late Helen Elizabeth Drager and Major Richard LeRoy Drager, was born July 5th, 1949 in Fort Richardson, Territory of Alaska.  Rick’s father was a U.S. Army Air Corps (U.S. Air Force) pilot who flew 39 missions in the Pacific Theater in WWII and countless subsequent missions to Japan and Korea.  Rick spent his early years in Soap Lake, Washington, which he always remembered fondly.  His family moved to Vacaville, CA during his sixth grade year.

 

Rick graduated from Vacaville High School in 1967.  In the Summer of ’67, he participated in a six-week bicycle tour of Europe as one of 90 American teens selected for the Wrangler Young Ambassadors program, visiting England, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, and France.  Rick attended the University of California at Berkeley, where he graduated with a Bachelors degree of Arts in Music in 1972.  Rick purchased his first home in 1978 in Davis, CA, where he resumed his education at the University of California at Davis, earning his Masters degree in English in 1989.

 

Rick was an accomplished pianist, classically trained from the age of 5.  During his time in Berkeley he developed a deep love for jazz music.  Throughout his career he enjoyed writing an expansive collection of both jazz and classical arrangements for piano, as well as his own original musical ‘Chasing Cagney’.  During the 1970’s and early 1980’s, Rick performed as a professional musician: as songwriter, on keyboard and voice in the duo Maxwell and Plum; and on keyboard, bass, and voice in the band Bay Laurel.

 

While living in Davis, CA, Rick began his career as a piano teacher, soon becoming a beloved fixture in the city, teaching and mentoring over 800 students throughout his 38 year career.  Rick’s unique teaching philosophy was to instill classical technique, while also allowing and encouraging students to think about and play any genres they were interested in and passionate about learning.  He trained his students to understand harmony, construction, ear-training, performance presence, and personal style.  Rick faithfully spent hours gathering the new or uncommon musical resources that his students needed to achieve their goals.  He had many students who went on to successful careers in classical, jazz, rock, pop, and musical theater genres.

 

It was through teaching that Rick met his wife and love of his life Annette Feldman Drager.  Both with previous marriages and children, Rick and Annette joined their families together in 1996, and were married in 2005 in Sacramento, CA.  Rick loved his family more than anything, and was immensely proud of his daughters Brecken and Bridget, his three step-children, Stephanie, Jonathan, and Julia, and was elated to become a grandfather to his beautiful grandchildren throughout the years.  

 

In addition to music, Rick had many interests and passions that he carried throughout his life.  He had a lifelong love of baseball.  He was proud to be named MVP of Vacaville High School Varsity team, had a passion for baseball history, and was a loyal fan of the San Francisco Giants.  He enjoyed running and bicycling for recreation and charity, including a month long bicycle trip along US 20 from Brimfield, MA to Bend, Or that he completed with his uncle, Mark Conners, in 1993.  He loved beer, and was a local brewery enthusiast.  He was a proud patron and supporter of the performing arts, including Davis High School, Davis Musical Theater Company, and the Sacramento Ballet.  Rick had a passion for history and reading biographies of historical figures, and when looking for a lighter read, he could always depend on his dear friends Calvin and Hobbes.  

 

Rick found fulfillment as a volunteer for Yolo County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate).  As a CASA, he gave a foster child the gift of a stable, consistent, and healthy relationship, mentored him through the system and provided valuable insight to the Court.  

 

Rick will be greatly missed by his wife, Annette; daughters, Brecken (Thom) Klein and Bridget Drager; step-children, Stephanie (Joseph) Majkut, Jonathan (Sadie) Feldman, and Julia Feldman; sister, Diane (Rich) Weber; brother, Kerry (Mary Summers) Drager; nieces, Michelle Foley and Kristin Pepper; nephews, Michael Weber and Dan Summers Drager; and his grandchildren, Theodore, Thea, Kenton, Jadyn, Julian, and Dean.