‘Trader Rick’ Crespin dies at 93
Rick Crespin
Crespin hosted KPRL’s Country Store program Saturday mornings on KPRL for several decades
– Rick Crespin died Wednesday afternoon at the age of 93. Rick was known to many as “Trader Rick.” For many years Rick hosted the Country Store Saturday mornings on KPRL.
Crespin was an Apache/Mescolero Native American from Denver, Colorado. He ran away from home at the age of 13. When he was old enough, Rick joined the US Army and served as a gunner on a tank during the Korean conflict.
Crespin raised two boys, Allen and Ivan, and two girls, Victoria and Sonja, as a single parent in Atascadero.
He worked for many years at Atascadero State Hospital, but he also worked as a hod carrier, a milk delivery man, a house painter, bartender, garbage truck driver, and clerk at Mid-State Bank.
He hosted KPRL’s Country Store program Saturday mornings on KPRL for several decades. He retired several years ago at the age of 90.
Rick is survived by his wife of 42 years, Cappy. They were together for 45 years. Cappy said, “To know him was to love him.”
