It's difficult for a sibling when another sibling passes on after a lifetime together. Imagine how hard it is for a twin to lose a twin.

"I was there on the day he died," John Ricksen said of his twin brother, Rupe. "The doctor said the last thing that goes is the hearing, so I told Rupe the good things we had done during the years, and that I was proud of his children. I held his hand and said goodbye."

Rupert Hughes "Rupe" Ricksen, an Oakland attorney and former UC Berkeley basketball and tennis star, died Oct. 12 from prostate cancer at UC Medical Center in San Francisco. He was 77.

"We had a great love for each other," John said. "I'm going to have to make an adjustment — it's like taking an arm off. But you can't forget the memories. Nobody can take those away."

The Ricksen twins are tied to Berkeley. They were standout athletes at Berkeley High; both played basketball and tennis at Cal in the early 1950s, then they became active and loyal Cal alums for more than a half century.

After college, they served together as Army officers, went through Hastings Law School at the same time, and wound up practicing law at Knox Ricksen, an Oakland firm named partly after their father, Marshall Ricksen.

"Rupe had integrity," John said of his brother, "and a great sense of humor. He was easygoing; I don't know of anyone who didn't like him. I got prostate cancer the same time he did five years ago. His was more aggressive.

John was the oldest twin by two hours. Though fraternal twins, they seemed identical — not only in appearance, but in terms of character. They were honest, dependable, hardworking, good family men, and best of friends.

Differences? Sure. John was better at basketball, Rupe better at tennis. John was the quiet athlete, Rupe the screamer. John was into business law, while Rupe was a litigator, though they became each other's best counsel as children.

"I don't think it's changed as we've gotten older," Rupe said in an Aug. 27 article in the Oakland Tribune. "Anything, we're always there. We get along really well. Always have."

Rupe, like John, was heavily involved in community activities, youth sports, and Cal basketball, sitting together at home games. Both were presidents of the Big C Society and served this year on the Big C board of directors. Rupe was more political, serving as a councilman and vice mayor in Piedmont in the 1970s.

"Rupe's the reason I'm president of the Big C right now," said Chris Carpenter, a retired attorney who played basketball at Cal and lives in Oakland. "He wanted me to do it, and I couldn't say no. He had complete integrity as a lawyer, and was totally straightforward, generous, with a great sense of humor."

Former Cal basketball great Andy Wolfe, 84, of Orinda, coached the Ricksens as a Cal basketball assistant. Wolfe said Rupe possessed a "tenaciousness" he kept through his cancer battle.

"Rupert, throughout his last few months, was an upbeat guy, and he fought it to the end," Wolfe said. "He wouldn't give up. He had a love of life."

Tom Fraysse, a law partner at Knox Ricksen, said, "Rupe always had a smile on his face, and I never heard him complain about his ordeal. Talk about quiet dignity and humility."

Rupe Ricksen is survived by his wife, Coleen, of Oakland; his five children: Linda Ricksen, Jane Jackson, Casey Ricksen, Carrie Stewart, and Michael Ricksen; 10 grandchildren: Allie, Colin and Will Stewart, Katie, Stewart, Jordan and Kelsey Jackson, and Jimmy, Caroline and John Ricksen; brother John (Mary) Ricksen, of Rossmoor; nephew Larry (Susan) Ricksen; and niece Ginny (Rick) Bruzzone.

There will be a private family service, and a memorial reception is planned for Cal's Haas Pavilion Nov. 1 at a time to be announced.