Richard Earl Saxton passed away on Monday, Sept. 21, in the hospital in Gillette, at the age of 76. He was born on Dec. 4, 1950, in Logan, Utah, to Leslie Richard Saxton and Charlotte Mudd Saxton.
Rick lived for a period of time with his father and stepmother, Kay Ann, in Evanston, where he attended school and wrestled for the Evanston Red Devils his freshman and sophomore years. He worked for some of the ranchers during the summer. Then Rick and his cousin, Jim Saxton, got hired by Western Geophysical doing seismograph work and traveled in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Rick worked as a large diesel mechanic. He was considered a top mechanic by the large equipment manufactures in the country. He worked for LeTourneau and covered the Western States, but his home base was in Gillette.
Rick loved the outdoors, pack trips with horses in the mountains, and enjoyed fishing and hunting. He was very skilled in woodwork, making gun stocks, knives and such.
Rick is survived by his three children, Michael, Ronnie and Jessica; his mother, Charlotte Applegate; his stepmother, Kay Ann Saxton; his grandsons, Zach and Chance; his sisters, Christine and Lanette (Brian) Boaz; his brothers, Jamie (Arlena) White; David, Douglas (Jolaine), Clinton (Susan), Wade (Jessica); and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father L. Richard (Dick) Saxton; sister-in-law Koskell Saxton; grandparents, Elijah Brigham and Clara Christina Polson Saxton, and James Earl and Margaret Culbert Irving Mudd.
At his request there will be no formal funeral services. He will be cremated and his ashes spread in the mountains around Dubois.
