Richard "Ryk" John Hamilton

Richard J. “Ryk” Hamilton, 69, of Great Falls, MT, passed away on Monday, October 2, 2023. A celebration of life will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at Tres65 Celebration Studio. A private family memorial will take place in Port Hueneme, California, later.

On December 20, 1953, he was born to Ann Reeves and Bill Hamilton in Oxnard with his mom and Nana. The oldest of five was an adorable big-headed boy who loved the beach, and his smile grew when the sand was between his toes and saltwater curled his hair. Nothing made him happier than being by the ocean.

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. You could find him putzing in his office or always onto the next task to fix what needed repair. He had a knack for gadgets and tinkering with anything to make it work, and he was indeed a jack of all trades. Ryk could fix anything and tried when he had the chance; you could even find him fixing the AC unit on vacation at a hotel.

He truly loved a good road trip with great food. He stayed on the road unexplored, taking the frontage road, pulling off for historic sites and scenic views, always with his trusty binocs to catch some wildlife. As an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, he loved the land, and Montana had his heart.

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. He had many close friends as he had a remarkable ability to make others smile, and his sense of humor will be missed. Preceded in death to Ryk were parents, Ann Reeves and Bill Hamilton; brothers, Matt and Chuck; and cherished cat, Butch.

He was a dutiful husband, caring friend, and shared an unbreakable bond with his children. As he was gone too soon, his entire family will continue living his legacy in RJ’s name to live long and prosper.