Ricardo Gonzalez, 84 of Spearfish, SD passed away on November 22, 2025.

Ricardo (Rick) Gonzalez was born May 23, 1941, in Mercedes, Texas, to Benito (Elizondo) and Sara (Acosta) Gonzalez. His father was a carpenter, produce warehouseman, and migrant workers coordinator. Rick attended grade and high school at Mercedes.

In 1961, he joined the United States Air Force. Ricardo served in the Medical Corps as a Medical Specialist. After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, he was assigned to USAF Hospital (4080th Recon Wing) Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas from 1961 to 1965. In 1965, he was reassigned to USAF Hospital Clark Air Base, Philippines Islands in Southeast Asia. His main duties consisted of treating and caring for American Servicemen wounded in Viet Nam. In 1966 while in the Philippines, Rick met and courted Nurse (Captain) ArLou Anderson from Farwell, Minnesota. They were married in January 1967. In 1968 when the Navy's' Pueblo Ship was seized by the North Koreans, Rick was deployed with and in charge of a Portable Hospital Unit to Suwon, South Korea to support the pilots and personnel deployed along with 20 F4 fighter jets. After nine months of intense waiting and with no military action orders, the unit replacements came, and Ricks unit was sent back to the Philippines. After returning to the Philippines, Rick and ArLou were reassigned to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where ArLou was assigned to Wilford Hall Hospital Orthopedic Ward and Rick was placed as a supervisor of a base dispensary. In 1969, Rick was honorably discharged. In 1969, Rick started college at San Antonio Junior College and later transferred to Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1972, he graduated with a BS degree in Forest and Range Management and began working for the US Forest Service in 1973 at the Burns Ranger District Malheur National Forest (NF) in Burns, Oregon. His Forest Service career included service in timber, range, watershed, minerals, recreation, environmental law, and wildlife programs at Ochoco NF in Oregon, Cleveland and Lassen NF's in California, Ashley NF Utah, Cebola NF in Texas and New Mexico. In 1995, Rick retired as a District Ranger from the Forest Service on the Rita Blanca National Grassland a Texline, Texas. Prior to his Forest Service retirement, in 1978 he joined the Air Force Reserves and Air Guard. His Reserve and Guard assignments included March Air Force Base, California; Nevada Air National Guard at Reno; Utah Air National Guard at Salt Lake City; and Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado. In 1992, he was activated for Desert Storm, and was assigned to Waddington Royal Air Force Base, Lincolnshire 100 miles north of London, England. Rick assisted in providing treatment to 29 critically wounded Servicemen of the initial 100 wounded in Desert Storm. After the war ended and six months of service in England, Rick was deactivated and returned to Colorado. In May 1992, Master Sergeant Gonzalez retired from the Air Force Reserves at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Since 1996, he has worked part-time for Randy Deibert Blackhills Surveying Inc. of Spearfish, SD with surveying projects in Peru, South America; Guatemala in Central America; and military Air Bases throughout the United States. Rick also worked for Dakota Bus Company as a driver and toured throughout the U.S.A. Rick was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Spearfish, Deadwood Elks Lodge, Spearfish VFW Post, life member of the Society for Range Management, Air Force Sergeant Association, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Crazy Horse Monument, a volunteer for the South Dakota Northern Black Hills Hospice program. Rick is also Native American and is member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas and registered with Tribal Co-Chairman (Pastor) Robert Soto at 1913 Camellia, McAllen, Texas 78501. In 1993, Rick was diagnosed with colon cancer. As the years progressed with the cancer, chemo and radiation treatments ensued followed by surgical resections of the colon, liver and lungs. Throughout the cancer episodes, Rick maintained a strong faith in Jesus Christ and a positive attitude with support and prayers from his wife ArLou, family, friends, and the church congregation.

Rick is survived by his wife ArLou of Spearfish SD; his brother Jose (Oralia) Gonzalez of Corpus Christi TX, and sisters Esmeralda Castellanos of Corpus Christi, TX, Diana (Jesus) Calvillo of San Antonio, TX , sister-in-law Lupe Gonzalez of Mercedes, TX and brother-in-law, David Anderson of Farwell, MN. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Abdon, Rolando, Lionel and Benito Jr., brother-in-law Beto and sister-in-law Lola Anderson. The graveside service will be held at the Rio Grande Valley State Veteran Cemetery, 2520 S. Inspiration Rd, Mission Texas 78572 (956-583-7227). Lipan Tribe Pastor Robert Soto officiating.

Memorial services will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Spearfish.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Isburg Crematory of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com