Richard Albert Williamson

Richard Albert Williamson was born in Sturgis, South Dakota, on March 7, 1957, to Richard Williamson and Doris I. (Oedekoven) Williamson. He was second to the youngest of five other siblings, all of them girls. He generally preferred to go by the name of Dick. On February 25, 2026, after several weeks of illness, he was called home to be with to be with the Lord.

Richard spent his younger childhood growing up on his parents’ ranch 50 miles east of Sturgis. He attended a one room schoolhouse with 12 other kids of various ages. It also had an outhouse that sometimes had snapping turtles in it. He had a keen mind and while the teacher taught the older kids, he learned information that was beyond his age. He had a knack for figuring things out and could apply common sense to just about anything he thought or did. This would prove to be very helpful for him when he pursued his future.

Life on the ranch was something he enjoyed, but when he was around 12 years old, his family moved to Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he graduated from high school in 1975. His parents’ property had an apple orchard and he learned to enjoy all the various ways you could prepare and eat apples. He especially liked his Mom’s apple pie recipe and would bake apple pies for friends, family and events.

After graduation, Richard moved to Newcastle, Wyoming, and began a 46- year career with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. In the early days, he would sometimes go to Alliance, Nebraska, for railroad business. It was there that he first met his future wife, Jody Toedtli, who was a clerk in the Superintendent’s Office. In 1981 they were married and shared 20 years together in Newcastle, Wyoming. He was promoted and transferred to BNSF Headquarters in Fort Worth in 2001, where they shared 25 years together before illness overcame him.

The couple enjoyed many family events with his Oedekoven relatives in the Black Hills, his sisters’ families in Minnesota, Jody’s family in Alliance, and with Jody’s cousins, the Oxfords south of Dallas. Over the years, they formed many friendships in Newcastle, the Black Hills and Fort Worth through BNSF, church, neighbors and the community. While in Newcastle, Richard was active in Lions Club and enjoyed golfing with his closest buddies.

Richard was an active member at First United Methodist Church(Newcastle) and Lighthouse Fellowship (Fort Worth). The last few years, he also helped lead a ministry (Free Space) at Town and Country Bingo Hall along with his wife, Jody. Here he preferred to be called Ricardo. In addition, he often served in various ways at church, for the family and in the community.

Some of Richard’s spiritual gifting included a servant heart and nothing made him happier than to help someone with whatever they needed. His gifts of organization, systems and leadership helped him to do, lead and build many projects. He was always quick to foresee a need and address it, often before anyone else realized it. He had a knack for that. People often describedRichard as strong, smart, caring and steady. He was dependable, compassionate, kind and had a unique sense of humor. He accepted people and life as they were and wasn’t judgmental. He was a skilled self-taught handyman. Together, he and Jody transformed 2 houses into beautiful homes. Most of all he loved and served the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He will be greatly missed

Survivors include his wife, Jody Williamson, three sisters, Norma Wright, Pat (Dick) Salmon, and Joyce (Ron) Karlsten, his mother-in-law, Kathie Toedtli, brother-in-law, Chris Toedtli, and sister-in-law, Dana (Dan) Fredrick, and uncle, Rod Parker.

Preceding Richard in death was his father, mother, sisters Sandra and Nancy Williamson, father-in-law Marvin Toedtli, brothers-in-law, Bill Wright and Pat Toedtil, and sister-in-law Janet Toedtli. He is survived and preceded in death by many aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of the family.

Celebrations of Life are being planned in Fort Worth, Alliance, Nebraska and Sturgis, South Dakota. Information will be available soon. Memorials can be given to Lighthouse Fellowship Church, 7200 Robertson Road, Fort Worth, TX, 76135, or Bibles & Bread Ministries (homeless and food pantry ministry), C/O Pastor Jody White at P.O. 137391, Fort Worth, TX 76136