Gordon Ryckman, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend to many, passed away on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at the family farm just north of Pollock, SD.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 23, 2018 at Pollock Memorial Presbyterian Church, Pollock, SD.

A Prayer Service will be held on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. at Pollock Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Burial will be at the Westfield Cemetery.

Gordon was born on August 17, 1935 on that same family farm to Val and Ella (Bootsma) Ryckman. Gordon attended Putnam Rural School through the 8 ^th grade; his horse Betty was his transportation on most days. He was active duty US Army from 1957 to 1959, stationed at Fort Hood, TX, where he trained as a mechanic and later as a cook.

In March of 1960, he married Tillie (Van Vugt) in Westfield, ND, a loving union for near 58 years. The couple first settled on the family farm before moving to Pollock where to them 5 children were born. Farming was his lifelong joy, and in 1979 they moved back onto the family farm. He won the Range Management Award and the Soil Conservation Achievement Award. His carpentry career started out at Harold Carlson Cabinetry and progressed to owning his own construction company where he built and remodeled many homes and farm buildings in the Pollock and Strasburg areas. For many years he was the local Cub Scout Master. He was a member of the Pollock volunteer fire department, the American Legion, Farm Bureau and the Gideons. Gordon was an active member of the Pollock Memorial Presbyterian Church, spending many years as a deacon, elder, and treasurer. In 2005, they moved from the farm to Westfield, ND.

Gordon is survived by his children, Robert, Pollock, Darcy (Charles) Martinez, Pueblo, CO, Scott (Lola), Mankato, MN, Greg (Teresa), Tampa, FL, and Larissa, Westfield; his grandchildren, Mason, Kelsey, Megan, Ian, Matthew, Marcus, Taylor, Renee, Savannah, April, Mac and Shania; 1 great-granddaughter, June; his sister, Lynda (Rod) Grenz, Hazelton, ND; his brother, Valmen (Deb) Ryckman, Lincoln, NE; brothers-in-law, Donald Powers, Ames, IA, Gerrit (Anita) Van Vugt, Mobridge, SD, LeRoy (Velma) Van Vugt, Omaha, NE, and Dale Vander Vorst, Akaska, SD; sisters-in-law, Linda (Jerome) Pool, Westfield, and Marge Van Vugt, Mobridge, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Tillie, his parents, sister Marlene Powers, infant sister Velma Jane, brother-in-law Bobby Van Vugt, sister-in-law Polly Vander Vorst, and nephews Matthew Van Vugt and Dean Vander Vorst.

He was a friend to all, and never missed an opportunity to lend a helping hand. The sparkle in his eyes and his gentleness, along with his love, integrity, and joy for life, will be missed by all.