Richard Strohmyer

Visitation: Sunday, July 19th, starting at 1:00 pm with the family to receive friends from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral services: Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm at the Valley Drive Baptist Church in Miles City.

Richard Rick Allen Strohmyer, age 58, of Miles City passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at the Holy Rosary Health Care in Miles City.

Rick was born on April 8, 1951, in Lexington, NE, the son of Carl William and Lillian Dilly (Ourada) Strohmyer.

Rick was a gentle kind man - always wearing a smile. His passion was his music. He was a self-taught left handed musician accused by many of playing the guitar, banjo and fiddle upside down and backwards. He was the object of many banjo jokes and especially delighted in telling the latest new one hed heard.He was a history enthusiast and musicologist. During the Lewis and Clark celebration, he educated and entertained audiences statewide with his historical presentations of period music on his fiddle as well as the fretless banjo and tiny mandolin that he lovingly handcrafted. Rick was a member of a Celtic band, Prairie Kailies, and a bluegrass bandMilestown.Rick loved the outdoors. He loved hunting especially for pheasants, fly fishing, cooking, gardening and an occasional good cigar and glass of single malt scotch on the patio.

He was proud of a 7 year career of jumping out of perfectly good planes. Smoke jumping for many years left him with forever loyal jumper friends, endless jumper jokes, and fascinating firefighting tales.His rich voice and music will be missed by his fellow musicians and listeners at the Miles City Open Mic where he was known as the song boss. He looked forward to Friday evenings and a good jam session.He had a 20 year career with the State of Montana as a forester and for the last 6 years as the Eastern Montana Regional Area Manager for the Department of Natural Resources.

The most recent joys in his life were the birth of a grandson and his engagement to Cheryl Tonn.

Rick is survived by his fianc, Cheryl Tonn, of Miles City, son Carl (Michele) Strohmyer of San Francisco, CA, daughter Heidi Strohmyer of Missoula, MT, Cheryls children; Mike (Rhianna) Tonn of Billings, MT, Will Tonn of Bozeman, MT and Anne (Mike) Quast of Buffalo, WY, brothers Harry (Jaunetta) Strohmyer of Cypress, CA, Randy (Kris) Strohmyer of Gothenburg, NE, Jeff (Lisa) Strohmyer of Papillion, NE, sister Mary Strohmyer of Lyons, NE. He is also survived by his first grandson, Michael Vincent Strohmyer and numerous nieces and nephews.

Rick was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 19th, starting at 1:00 pm with the family to receive friends from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm at the Valley Drive Baptist Church in Miles City. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Blue Grass Association or to the Miles City Open Mic. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City has been entrusted with the arrangements.