Charles William Barricman, Jr. was many things:

Surfer, SCUBA diver, ASA certified skipper, water polo jock, snow skier, glider pilot, Harley owner, bodybuilder, bull rider, rodeo judge, traveler, dog lover, collector.

Ticket agent for PSA, bartender at the Lion Pub, bar manager at Bear Hollow, contractor and home builder in Nevada City, account executive and account manager for U.S. Yellow Pages.

Friend, only child, pain in the ass, teacher, story-teller, lover, betrayer, trainer, drama generator, workout partner, little boy in a man's body.

Dynamic, fun, generous, large, charming, goofy, boisterous, intelligent, bold, self-centered, impatient, infuriating.

To his family and childhood friends he was Bill, but to the rest of us, he was Chuck. If you didn't know Chuck, the above lists of his hobbies, roles and adjectives might lead you to think that he was exciting. This would be an accurate conclusion. Chuck was exciting and this drew people to him from his early childhood until his last year. His childhood buddy, Dan, explained to me that knowing Chuck gave him the inspiration to start his own business. "All of my other friends were dull and ordinary," he said. "[Chuck] took risks and broke rules. He was fun and exciting to be around. If it weren't for him I would have probably never had the courage to start my own business."

Dan is not alone. Chuck influenced many lives. He certainly influenced mine profoundly. His charm, striking blue eyes and irreverence attracted people. His zest for life, lust for men, and love of adventure captured them. His hardheadedness and demanding, self-centered behavior eventually pushed many away. But not me.

My best friend described Chuck as "the most important figure of [my] adult life." Chuck may not have known it, for I didn't realize it until after his death, but my roles as his partner, friend, student, conscience, administrative assistant and caregiver made me a much stronger person. Chuck opened up the world to me through the sheer force of his will. In his own abrasive way, he challenged me to overcome weak points in my personality, to grow, to change and to enjoy life. I learned from his example and (hopefully) from his mistakes.

Chuck was a fighter. He would fight anyone, any organization, anything. A few examples: He was on his Harley in the Tahoe National Forest near his home when someone in the car ahead threw trash onto the highway. He passed them, stopped in the middle of the road, and demanded they return to clean it up. He once burst in on the Nevada County board of supervisors to protest a recent decision and made the headlines the next day. I watched him jump out of his Explorer to yell at a pedestrian who was breaking the blooms off the agapanthus along the sidewalk. The list is endless - if he didn't like it - he fought it. When his old friend Sammy learned of his death he said "I can't believe it. He was always such a fighter."

He fought his medications because they made him feel bad and his doctor's advice to avoid caffeine because he wanted to feel good. His medications made him feel weak and tired and his plans for himself did not include feeling weak and tired. This probably hastened his death. He fought his employer. This probably held back his career, but he had other priorities. Something he said to me often was "you should work to live, not live to work." It was one of his stronger messages to me. The same passion that made him fight even when it was contrary to his self-interest also allowed him to live his life as few men do.

Chuck did know how to have fun. He traveled to Europe throughout his life, even when he couldn't afford it. He traveled to the Caribbean to pursue his love of SCUBA and sailing. He pursued all of his hobbies in such a way that he became highly skilled at many things. But a passion for adventure and living in the moment can be a double-edged sword. He contracted HIV in the 1980's and broke many hearts throughout his life. He sought a monogamous relationship as an ideal, but the concept of deferred gratification seemed alien to his personality.

From a Christmas letter Chuck wrote to me in 2001:

Life is short we never know when it will end or change for the better or the worse. Please stop and smell the roses they might not be there tomorrow. Take a wet cold weekend and go up to the River, bring your homework but just get out into a different space. You should try the Highlands they have cabins with fireplaces and it is real nice and cozy ask for cabin #6 it is my favorite, it is small and has a fireplace in the bedroom. Do your homework and take a break and go for a walk in Armstrong woods it is beautiful in the misty rain, gives you time to just be quiet and clear your head. Just don't become a stick in the mud; a weekend away can work wonders. We do need to go sailing again.. SOON... You are so young and there are so many wonderful and beautiful things to do and see.. Please live life..! Don't let it pass by or just read about it... get out and experience it. A rose is a rose but until you see it, touch it and smell it has no meaning.

Chuck did what he wanted to do and lived as he wanted to live. His life was too short, but Chuck lived more than anyone I know.