Rick graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1971 and then went to work at the Great Western Sugar Factory in Johnstown.

On June 30, 1972, he married Loretta Jean Yost at the Johnstown United Methodist Church, and they made their home in Johnstown and started their family.

Rick worked for Ehrlich Land and Cattle in their shop, with Preston Steel Builders as a foreman for four years, then in the Carpenter’s Union for four years and finished with Fort St. Vrain from 1982-87. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the early 1970s and continued battling through until the very end.

At the age of six, he began breaking horses with his dad and enjoyed sports throughout his life, especially baseball. He started a traveling Little League baseball program called “The Travelers” around 1983. He started with a rag tag team with no uniforms of around 13 kids. He grew the program up to multiple teams and around 200 kids, equipped with full uniforms, through the efforts of raising money through creative ways and events so the kids didn’t have to pay to play. He completely altered the baseball program in Johnstown to become one of the most competitive programs in Weld County. He then coached Legion baseball in Johnstown for many years and was the Roosevelt High School Assistant Baseball Coach in 1987. He helped build the announcer box and scoreboard at the RHS field and continued to support Legion B baseball for a number of years after his health didn’t allow him to coach any longer. He loved Colorado Rockies baseball, football, basketball, the Olympics, but most enjoyed supporting his kids and grandkids with their activities.

He was a member of the Johnstown Derelict Association (JDA), and an honorary member of the American Legion Post through his support of the baseball program.

Survivors include his wife, Loretta; children, Jamie (Melanie) Judson, Connie (Chris) Waldfogel, and Heather (Jared) Shamburger; his 11 grandchildren, Jacob and Ashley Judson, Seth, Bella, Landon and Mikaela, Carsyn (Braeden) Waldfogel, Cyra and Camryn Waldfogel, Adleigh and Caleb Shamburger; two great-grandchildren, Oliver Waldfogel and Theo; his siblings, Rod (Tammy) Judson, Laverne Judson, Sharon Walters and Marti (Gary) Frank; as well as brother and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a nephew, Dean Judson; and brothers-inlaw, Ronnie Walters and John Yost.

Rick’s Life Celebration will be held from 3-6 p.m. May 9 at Dreams & Dragonfl ies Event Center in Johnstown, with memorial gifts directed to the “M.S. Society.”