Gerald Ryckman

Gerald Ryckman age 71 of Sturgis, died Friday April 16, 2010 at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center in Sturgis. The funeral service will be held 10:30 am Monday April 19th, 2010 at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche with Rev. Del Neumeister officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be held in Black Hills National Cemetery, with Military Honors provided by the Sturgis Honor Guard. Gerald Ryckman was born September 1, 1938 in Pollock, South Dakota. He was the son of Carl and Rena (Plaggemeyer) Ryckman. Gerald graduate from Pollock High School in 1958. Shortly before the Vietnam War, Gerald was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served from 1961 until 1965. Gerald was proud to have served his country. In 1973 he was married to Laura Byington in Timber Lake SD. They later divorced. Gerald attended the Wahpeton State College of Science and also the Canby Technical College where he received degrees in diesel mechanics. For the past many years, he has lived in the Sturgis area. Recently he was given an award for volunteering more than 7500 hours at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center. He loved volunteering there for many years. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, traveling, craftwork, and taking a trip to Deadwood now and then. He will be remembered for never treating anybody differently. He is survived by his sons, Eugene (and wife Larinda Tabaha) of Lead, James of St. Cloud, MN; daughter, Geralynn Ryckman of Grove City, MN; brothers, Willis (Lydia) Ryckman of Pollock SD, Eddie Ryckman of Pollock SD; sisters, Dorothy Huizenga of Pollock SD, Anna Sjomeling of Strasburg ND, Loela (Lee) Boelkes of Freeport IL, (twin sister) Geraldine Ryckman of Minneapolis, MN; and 6 grandchildren, Andrew, Mikus, Kyle, Autumn, Joe, and Sunny. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Elmer Ryckman.