Richard John Andrew de Ruyter

Our wonderful brother, son, and uncle left this earth due to complications from a brief illness. Born in Albany New York, raised in Northern California and spent the last years of his life in Utah. Attended Castro Valley High School, Castro Valley CA, Utah Valley Community College Provo UT, and recently DATC Information Technology Program Kaysville, UT. He was employed as the Commercial Sales Manager at Auto Zone where his love of cars, trucks, and especially Jeeps came in handy every day. Rick was a kind, generous, loving man who always seemed to put others above himself. He was a certified EMT for the state of Utah and worked in this position for a while with his territory being the Price to Green River Utah stretch of highway. His compassion and love for others would still come in handy as he was a previous member of the Storm Mountain 4×4, Utah Four Wheel Drive Association and recently the Utah Off Road Recovery Team He would help out a friend or stranger wherever he was needed. He loved sports, animals, cars, and loved being in the outdoors and seemed to always have a smile on his face. Rick was a brother to Scott, Erica and Monica, an Uncle to twenty-three nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews, a wonderful son to Kitty and Robert de Ruyter and a step-son to Paul Bons. He also had the great privilege of being the father of Robert, Ricky, Carlene, Chelsea and Taylor. He was also a surrogate father to many whom he took under his wings to help, advise, comfort as needed. He is preceded in death by his father Robert de Ruyter, sons Robert A. de Ruyter & Richard John Andrew de Ruyter II, and brother-in-law W. Keith Burden. His memory will live on through his family and all his friends who loved him.
Please come celebrate his life with us on Friday February 7th at the LDS Ward Building, 210 East 1825 North Centerville, UT. Service will begin at 11 am. The family will have a Viewing an hour prior beginning at 10am. Interment – Murray Cemetery.