Richard J. “Ryk” Hamilton, 69, of Great Falls, MT, passed away on Monday, October 2, 2023. On December 20, 1953, he was born to Ann Reeves and Bill Hamilton in Oxnard. Richard studied hard during high school and decided to graduate early and see the world. He got his GED and then set off to join the military. He was sent to Korea and honorably served five years as an Army Crew Chief on helicopters like the CH-47.
After returning to the states, he met and was soon to marry Mary Ann in northern California in 1977. They lived, loved, and enjoyed life throughout the ’70s: rock’n’roll, live concerts, and time in San Francisco. Ryk loved to play darts and won many trophies for his dart championships.
When Ryk and Mary Ann were ready to settle down, their time together brought them closer as they moved around the country to find a spot to raise their two beautiful children, Nic and Danielle. It turns out it was the Last Best Place, Montana. They tried a few locations together and chose Great Falls to call home. Family meant everything to Ryk; he was a devoted father, incredibly proud of his grandchildren, was close to his mom and brothers, and would do anything to support his family.
Ryk worked at Malmstrom Air Force Base as Lead Maintenance Personnel for Outdoor Recreation. He quickly rose in rank to Supervisor of the department. He enjoyed many hobbies, like ammo reloading, faceting, woodworking, and most adored watchmaking. He had a knack for gadgets and tinkering with anything to make it work, and he was indeed a jack of all trades.
Ryk is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary Ann; and beloved family, including daughter, Melissa, son, Nic and Jessie; granddaughter, Leila, grandsons, Connor and Cooper, daughter, Danielle, Seth, and grandpom, Coco; and brothers Mike and Eddie.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the O'Connor Funeral Home website.
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