Rickey "Rick" Allen Gough

Rick Gough passed away peacefully in his sleep the morning of Saturday, August 12th, 2023, just prior to his 69^th birthday. Rick was born August 16^th, 1954, to parents Norman Clarence and Vivian Ethel Gough in San Gabriel, California. He married JoEllen McDonald on October 15, 1974, in the Oakland California Temple where they were sealed for time and all eternity.  Rick lived a life of hard work, service and love. Rick and Jo are the proud parents of three children and eight grandchildren.

Rick graduated High School in 1972 from Steven’s High School in Rapid City South Dakota, where he was involved in athletics and enjoyed getting into trouble! After graduation he tried his hand at college where he met Jo, but ultimately in March of 1973 he began work with the Union Pacific Railroad. After working his way up through the ranks from digging ditches to General Director of system training, he retired in March of 2017 after a distinguished 44-year career.

Retirement did not slow Rick down in the slightest.  You could always find him working on a new project, playing on his tractor, building a new structure or helping one of his children with their projects.  He was gifted in many disciplines, electrician, plumber, carpenter, mechanic, you name it, and he could make it happen.  And if by some chance you stumped him, he always had a YouTube DIY video ready to be watched. 

Rick enjoyed the great outdoors, hiking, fishing, hunting and camping.  He has hiked and fished many of the lakes in the high Uinta’s and on more than one occasion had to pretend that he meant to end up in the wrong spot.  He enjoyed the freedom and peace the mountains afforded him and often commented that all he really wanted was a cabin on a lake!

Those who knew Rick would say that they never met anyone who worked as hard or gave as much.  He was firm but caring and wanted nothing more than for those around him to be cared for and successful.  His greatest joys came from spending time with his family and being surrounded by those he loved.    

Rick is preceded in death by his parents Norman and Vivian.  Surviving Rick are his wife JoEllen, Brothers David (Linda) Gough, Greg (Sharon) Gough, Doug (Diana) Gough, and Gary (Julie) Gough, as well as his three children: Shawn (Sharidi) Gough, Nicholas (Nichole) Gough, and Whitney (Zach) Horrocks.  He is also survived by his grandchildren Mason, Bailey, Gideon, Melina, Mikayla, Jade, Cody, and Cameron.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Russon Mortuary, 1941 North Main Street, Farmington, Utah. A viewing will be held from 9:45-10:45 a.m. prior to services.

Funeral services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary and Crematory Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/people/Russon-Mortuary-Crematory/100057447129518/)  and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes before the services and will be posted below.