Ricki "Rick" Robinson was born in Riverton, Wyoming, on February 20, 1960. He passed away on June

3, 2019, at Rapid City Regional Hospital from pneumonia and other complications related to a heart

attack he suffered several years ago. In his usual fashion—eager to try the next thing, willing to find the

silver lining—Rick did not shy away from his body's weaknesses. He embraced what was coming, and

told his family not to worry: "It will be okay," he said.

A lover of the wide-open spaces familiar in the Midwest, Rick's favorite pastimes were nurtured early in

life. His family were avid campers, and enjoyed fishing, hiking, and annual camping trips in Mexico. Of

all his outdoor fun, though, Rick's favorite was dirt bike racing. He recently recalled his cherished

Yamaha IT250, which caused his eyes to sparkle, even as his illness progressed. He also chuckled about

his favorite indoor sports: video games—and cherished companion Kathy Becht Hadd.

Rick's other primary passion was art. His grandmother, Eleanor Herdt, encouraged and supported his

artistic talents, and took him to art classes early in his childhood. As an adult, he attended the Art

Institute of Colorado, and continued to sketch and paint throughout his life. He worked as a silkscreener

for a period before landing on his favorite job, which incorporated his artistic and mechanical skills. As a

foundryman, he learned bronze metal finishing—the process of taking a sculpture cast in "raw metal" to a

finished product—at Eagle Bronze in Lander, Wyoming. When he moved to South Dakota, he joined

the team at Black Hills Bronze in Hill City. After that company closed in 2015, Rick worked for local

sculptor Dale Lamphere on several sculpture projects before becoming too ill to work.

His artistic career built upon a certification in surveying and drafting, as well as a selection of jobs he held

earlier in his work life—including running seismograph lines, working in uranium mines, driving for a

trucking company, and working in a hospital. He also served honorably in the Air Force as a Minuteman

Missile mechanic; he left the military to care for his ailing step-father. Rick was proud of his military

service and maintained an unshakable love for his country.

Rick is survived by his son, Jesse Robinson of Spokane, WA; girlfriend, Kathy Becht Hadd of Rapid City,

SD; mother, Marian Fabrizius Robinson (Richard Warren) of Riverton, WY; brother, Rodney (Debbie) Robinson of

Cathedral City, CA; sister, Lori (John) Andrashko of Loveland, CO; nieces and nephews, Ryan Robinson,

Ashley Davis, Kodi Davis, and Kiley Davis; and dear friend, Mark Dahn of Rapid City.

Rick is preceded in death by step-father, Ron Robinson; maternal grandparents, Violet "GG" and George "Pappy"

Fabrizius; paternal grandparents, Eleanor and Dave Herdt and Richard "Dick" Robinson; and uncle,

Clifford Fabrizius.

An interment service will be held sometime this summer at the Mountain View Cemetery in Riverton,

WY. In lieu of flowers or other acts of kindness, Rick asked friends and family to support a local art event

this summer. Any one will do—and it might inspire a child to follow his or her dreams.