Richard Levi Eaton, 26 of Piedmont, passed away on Saturday morning October 25, 2008 at Clarkson Mountain View Health Care facility in Rapid City, SD.

Visitation will be noon until 9 p.m. on Tuesday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis with family present from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday October 29, 2008 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Piedmont with Pastor Mike Bang officiating. Burial follows at the Piedmont Cemetery.

A memorial has been established to the Sturgis High School Rodeo Club.

Richard L. Eaton was born March 15, 1982 at Rapid City Regional Hospital to Levi and Laurie (Ginter) Eaton. He was raised in Piedmont and attended Piedmont Elementary, Sturgis Middle School and Sturgis Brown High School. Richard loved rodeo and started mutton busting at age 5 when he won his first buckle. From then on, rodeo was his passion and he participated in rodeo in 4-H, High School and College (Panhandle State University Goodwill, OK). Richards horse, Gray aka "Budd" was his rodeo companion from day one. Before high school, Richard played t-ball, soccer, baseball and participated on the Piedmont swim team.

In high school, Richard, loved to wrestle and in 4-H he showed cattle and even learned to take a few award winning photos. Richard graduated Sturgis Brown High School with the class of 2000. After attending Panhandle State Richard took a údirection seeking vacation from school and moved to Lincoln, NE were he lived with friends and worked at Kawasaki. He then decided to venture back down south to attend Spartan School of Aeronautics in 2003-2004 then transferred to Tulsa Technology Center (TTC) to complete his training in airplane mechanics. Richard loved to have FUN with friends and family, barbeque, go to the lake and play poker. While in Oklahoma, Richard had many jobs but his favorite was parking cars for DoubleTree hotel in Tulsa where he called home often to brag about the fancy cars he got to park and the famous people he met. A couple times, he received $100 tips.

Richard has made many friends from South Dakota to Okalahoma. His friends were very important to him and you would know this by his cell phone bill. He was always the life of the partyeven nominated for class clown and most unforgettable classmate. Richard will be remembered for his clam nature, his loving spirit and his sense of humor.

Five months short of graduating from TTC in July of 2006, Richard suffered an anoxic brain injury from Pneumonia and lived in a semi-conscious state until his death on October 25, 2008. Richard touched many of our lives and we will forever be grateful for having the opportunity to know and love him. Even in his semi-conscious state Richard could still draw a crowd.

Survivors include his parents, Levi and Laurie Eaton, Piedmont; two sisters, Kathy Albers, Spearfish, Stephanie Deuter, Dell Rapids; several aunts, uncles and numerous cousins.

Richard was preceded in death by his grandparents, Wesley Eaton, Carroll Ginter, Maxine Kelley, Lloyd Kelley; uncle, Richard Doyen; cousins, Riley Doyen and Tanya Gano.