Richard "Rick" Grubbs

Richard "Rick" Grubbs, 56, of North Providence, Rhode Island, passed away on July 13, 2026, at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rick was the son of William and Elizabeth (Farabella) Grubbs. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Gary Grubbs. He is survived by his devoted wife, whom he met on December 31, 1997, and married on July 4, 1999. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, resilience, and unwavering devotion. He is also survived by his beloved "fur-son," Charlie; his cousin, Helena Farabella, with whom he had recently reconnected; his mother-in-law, Jean Entz, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, who loved and treated Rick as her own son; and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sheri and Jeff Hoke, also of Selinsgrove. Rick's life was marked by tremendous perseverance. He endured significant hardships and trauma during his childhood, challenges that affected his health throughout his life. Living with Type 1 diabetes from a young age, he received a life-saving kidney transplant in 2003 and a pancreas transplant in 2009 after years of diabetic complications. Despite losing the sight in one eye, Rick never allowed his circumstances to define him. He remained determined to embrace life with courage, humor, and gratitude. In 2024, his transplanted kidney began to fail, requiring him to return to dialysis, and he later developed severe heart complications related to the immunosuppressant medications that had protected his transplanted organs for more than two decades. Even on the morning of his passing, Rick called his wife just to joke around and make her laugh. His wonderfully unique sense of humor was one of his greatest gifts. He found joy in making others smile and gave of himself freely, always willing to help someone else before thinking of himself. Photography was one of Rick's earliest passions. He loved working in photo labs developing pictures and could often be found exploring nature with a camera in hand. Longwood Gardens and Gettysburg held special places in his heart, where he enjoyed capturing beautiful landscapes while immersing himself in history. His love of learning extended to World War II history, books, documentaries, classic films, comic books, sports trading cards, and virtually every genre of music. For the past several years, Rick found a career he truly loved as a Pharmacy Technician at CVS in Johnston, Rhode Island. Although he entered the profession with no prior experience, someone recognized his potential, and he quickly became an invaluable member of the team. Rick earned Employee of the Month honors multiple times and became known for his patience, compassion, and ability to help customers navigate stressful insurance and prescription issues. His coworkers became like family, and many customers looked forward to seeing him because of his kindness, genuine concern, and welcoming personality. Music was woven into every part of Rick's life. His taste crossed every genre, and he could often be found listening intently while reading album liner notes or music magazines. He shared countless conversations about music with his dear friends Bryan and Brendon, whom he affectionately called the little brothers he never had. Those conversations brought him joy, strength, and companionship during some of his most difficult days. Brendon beautifully captured Rick's spirit in a Facebook tribute: "He was a punk from Philly. He told me how he saved up for his first pair of Doc Martens and blew his entire paycheck from bagging groceries. He knew more about jazz than any white dude I've ever met. He was Irish and we'd talk about Irish shit and Catholic school stories. He had insane stories about seeing live music in Philly.” Those who knew Rick will remember not only his incredible knowledge and passions but, above all, his generous heart. He never hesitated to help someone in need, found genuine happiness in making others laugh, and built lasting friendships through kindness, compassion, and authenticity. His wife will forever cherish the nearly three decades they shared together. She has lost her soulmate, her best friend, and the person who made her laugh every single day. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to help offset Rick's extensive medical expenses, cremation costs, and final expenses. Because of his lifelong medical history and organ transplants, obtaining life insurance was never possible. Donations may be made through the family's GoFundMe campaign or by check to Jean Entz or Sheri and Jeff Hoke. GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/ee44090d4