Rickerd Mason Felstet, a gentleman with smiling eyes and a song in his heart, passed away July 1, 2023, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls.
Rick was born May 17, 1942, in Redding, Calif., to Rickerd E. and Ann (Oktabec) Felstet. Rick attended schools in Ovando and Frenchtown, then worked as a heavy equipment operator.
While in Helena for National Guard, he met his future bride, Margaret Campbell, at a dance in Canyon Creek. They married November 7, 1969, and had two children, Anne and Tom.
After moving to East Helena, Rick worked for Maronick Construction, then built roads in south Helena for Bill Diehl. His innate understanding of road building and maintaining, along with his design eye, led him to create various bucket tools to make the work more efficient. His patents can still be found and the concept can be seen on various construction sites. He finished his working life as the road supervisor for Jefferson County.
Rick might have retired, but he was never idle – tinkering in his garage, helping out friends and neighbors, fishing, four-wheeling — and most enjoyable of all, dancing.
Along the way he served on the city council in East Helena and guided his kids and their friends in his quiet, kind way that somehow made you feel even worse than if you would have been chewed out.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents Rick and Ann, parents-in-law Russ and Gertie Campbell, and beloved wife, Margaret. Survivors include daughter Anne (Dan) Dartman; son Tom (Candice); and grandchildren Sidney and Jake Felstet, Sam, Gertie, and Xavier Dartman, and Sully and Scott Ulrich. His siblings and brother-in-law also survive him: Duane Felstet, Don (Janet) Felstet, and JoAnn Kohler, and Jim (Nancy) Campbell, along with 12 nieces and nephews and their families.
Rick’s genuine, good-humored nature attracted many friends who will miss him dearly, in particular his dancing partner and advocate Dona Davies and her family.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, July 17, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. in Helena, followed by a luncheon. An inurnment ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery concludes the day. Please visit www.retzfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Rick.
