Rickie Haspel was best known as one of the "Consessionaire Extraordiares". (Courtesy photo)

The Hillcrest High School community remembers Rickie Haspel as the fun-loving dad, manning the concession stand during football games at Franklin field.

“He ran it like a business,” said JJ Pepper, a close family friend. “But as soon as a kid couldn’t afford a hot dog, he sneaked one out the back door. He was a softy at heart.”

Haspel lost a three-month battle with lung cancer Wednesday. He was 62. He is survived by his wife Cathy Winters, a Texas history teacher at Franklin, and his step-daughter Mackenzie. His first wife Lori is the Hillcrest PTSA president. Their three children are Sarah and Steven, both Hillcrest alums, and Steele who is a senior this year.

Haspel and two other local dads, Bill Wine and Andy Meyercord, dubbed themselves the “Concessionaire Extraordinaires”. Haspel was a dedicated parent volunteer, heavily involved with Kramer, Franklin and Hillcrest. He coached girls softball and boys basketball at Town North YMCA where he also served as an Indian Guide chief.

“If anybody met Ricky whether it was for a short time or a long time, they’d say, ‘Oh, do I have a story about Ricky,’ ” Lori said.

He was known for his sense of humor. Lori said he wasn’t very handy, but the other dads would still invite him on projects like building a storage shed for Kramer.

“They would bring him along for comic relief,” she said.

Haspel grew up in New Orleans. He was known as “Toad Man” in a band called The Local Bored in which he played the guitar. He worked for his family business, Haspel Brothers Suit Company – his grandfather introduced the seersucker suit to America, Lori says.

Haspel moved to Dallas in 1983 and continued playing guitar for fun. During Kramer family camping trips, he’d make up silly songs about the kids’ names while sitting around the fire.

“That was just his love for music,” Lori said.

She expressed her gratitude for the love and support she and her family has received from the neighborhood.

“The Hillcrest cluster of parents is phenomenal. There’s just no place like it.”

Haspel’s funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at North Dallas Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made the Richard Herrick Haspel Memorial Fund at BBVA Compass Bank. For questions regarding the memorial fund, call 214.360.3333.