Ricky Gene Gutzmer

Ricky Gene Gutzmer, 65, was born on Sept. 25, 1959, at the Hand County Hospital in Miller, South Dakota. He went home to be with Jesus on Oct. 21, 2024, at the Brookings Hospital Emergency Room. Rick was baptized April 22, 1962 ,in the First Congregational Church, Gann Valley, SD and confirmed April 28, 1974 at Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Huron, SD.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. A time of fellowship will immediately follow the service, at the funeral home. Burial will take place at the South Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery in Sioux Falls at 12 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28. Visitation will be held one hour to the service, beginning at 2 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.
Rick started his education attending his first-grade year in a little country school in Eden Twp, Buffalo County, SD. After his parents divorce in 1966 he lived with his mother and attended his second and third grade years at Buchanan Elementary School in Huron, SD. He lived with his father his 4th grade year and again attended the country school for one year. Ricks mother remarried in 1969 and he finished his education graduating from Huron High School. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
He enlisted in the Army National Guard during his senior year at the age of 17. Upon returning from basic training from Fort Leonard, MO. (Sept 1977), completing with honors a water supply specialist course, to Hayti, SD, where his parents were living. That fall he worked in the turkey plant in Watertown, SD, while serving in the SD Army NG. Rick enrolled at SDSU, Brookings, SD the second semester until the fall of 1981 when he moved to Chicago, IL where he worked at Arthur Anderson, Baker Taylor Co.; eDoc Architects; then transferred to Kankakee, IL working for HCN; and finally settling in Brookings 20 years ago where he worked remotely for his brother-in-law, Pete Leonard, providing computer programming services for the company, I Have A Bean.
Rick was a proud veteran, having attained the rank of first lieutenant. During his time in the military, Rick received advanced training in several different areas. He spent six months overseas in southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm. Interestingly, Rick and his father Walter spent time together in the National Guard, with Walt proudly remarking that Rick had one of the brightest minds that the leaders of the Guard had seen. He served his country for 17 years. He was a member of Lake Preston American Legion.
In his free time Rick enjoyed playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends and family, working on the computer, playing occasional card games, he also loved reading all types of books, even reading the encyclopedias in grade school and high school.
Rick is survived by his mother, Carolyn (Morrison) Gutzmer; three brothers: Kent Gutzmer, Lee and Brett Sinkie; four sisters: Sheri Gutzmer, Debbie Gutzmer Leonard, Janeen Gutzmer Thill, Melanie Sinkie McCavish and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his fathers, Walter V. Gutzmer and Richard J. Sinkie; two sisters: Barbara Gutzmer Eitreim and Belinda Gutzmer.