Born in Connecticut on November 08, 1965.

Rick at 3 months old

May 27,1983 Rick graduates from
Nacogodoches High School in
Nacogodoches, TX.

Graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of Lowell in Lowell, MA in Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Graduated in 1995 from Texas A & M University in Byran, Texas with Masters Degree in Atmospheric Sciences. Graduated in 2000 from Texas A & M university, Bryan Texas with a Ph.D in Atmospheric Conditions.

NASA Earth System Science Fellowship recipient, 1996 - 1999

Member, American Meteorological Society, 1990 - 2005. 

Member, American Geophysical Union, 1993 - 2005.
 
Member, Sigma Gamma Epsilon Earth Science Honor Society, 1992 - 2005. 

Member, Chi Epsilon Pi, Meteorology Honor Society, 1994 - 2005. 

Member, Pinnacle Honor Society, 1999 - 2005.

Ernest Richard “Rick” Toracinta, Ph.D.

Rick Toracinta died Nov. 22, 2005, at his home in Columbus, Ohio.
Dr. Toracinta graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1983 and
earned a doctorate in meteorology from Texas A&M University. At the
time of his death, he was a polar meteorologist with the Ohio State
University Byrd Polar Research Center. He was a member of St. Patrick
Catholic Church and was laid to rest at St. Joseph Cemetery in
Columbus on Nov. 26. Dr. Toracinta is survived by his mother and
stepfather, Alma and James Chaney of Belleville, Illinois; his father
and stepmother, Ernest and Eleanor (Sam) Toracinta of Gary, Texas;
and his sister, Cheryl Duksta, her husband, Mark, and their daughter,
Alison, of Austin, Texas.

Memorial Plaque we had installed  in April of 2006
at Our Lady of the Snows National Catholic Shrine
in Belleville, IL. 
The Shrine was one of Ricks favorite places.
We always attended mass there
when he was home.

Rick's first memorial Scholarship was awarded Sept. 24, 2007 



Congratulations Lijia Wei