Richard "Dick" Lee Rutz

Richard “Dick” Lee Rutz was born November 13th, 1949, to Earl Rutz and Helen Marie Cossey, in Sterling, Colorado. He was the 3rd out of four children, with older brothers Donald Eugene Rutz and Robert William Rutz, and younger sister Debra Jean Bird. Dick was raised on a farm 7 miles north of Otis, Colorado, where he grew up learning the farm trade, and attending school from grade school through his high school graduation in 1967. He formed many lifelong friendships during this time, including Matt Frenzel, Kirk Robrtson and Larry Anderson. In fact, Dick spent so much time with the Anderson’s, that Larry’s brother Mark joked that he thought Dick was also his brother. Dick was also a member of the Otis State Champion football team his freshman year and the Otis State Champion baseball team. However, his greatest physical feat that he ever accomplished during this time was only witnessed by his brother, Don, after a night of heavy drinking. Dick was never able to reach a running speed of 75 miles per hour again. After that, he spent a brief period attending Northeastern Junior College in Sterling.

In 1970, Dick was drafted into the military and spent a short time in Washington at Fort Lewis before returning home to Colorado. It was at this time he met his wife, Virginia Dunham Rutz, in Greeley. Their brief courtship ran at a fast pace, thanks to Dick’s evil sense of humor that broke through Gina’s defenses. Apparently, not even the terror of death could scare Gina off. The couple was married on August 12th, 1972, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their stay in the Denver Metro area was fleeting, before moving to Akron, Colorado to set up a family and stay for the next 46 years.

During this time, Dick was working as a lineman and a carpenter to support his family. He was a very involved father, and made sure that his two children, Luke Hall Rutz, and Nichole Palmer Wells, were educated. His rendition of the battle of New Orleans in 1814 on the way to school many mornings was the most memorable of these lessons. Eventually, these children grew up and formed families of their own.

Next, Dick and Gina decided that they wanted to move closer to the families their children had built. Loveland, Colorado was just right for this. Dick took a major interest in the sports, hobbies, and interests of his eldest grandchildren, Kaidynce Bailey Wells, Kinsey Breanna Wells, and Kaleb Blake Wells. He would often enjoy their activities with their father and someone he would learn to trust deeply, Zebediah Bunyon Wells. He was also very interested and impressionable on his two youngest granddaughters Eleanora Syan Rutz, and Adelyn Nichole Rutz. While their memories of him will be sparse, their mother, Neomi Evelyn Rutz, spent a lot of time with Dick near the end. This will allow her to be able to remind those girls how much their grandfather loved them.

The love and caring he held for his cats and dogs has extended all the way down from his children to his grandchildren, and likely far beyond. His passion for sports has also had the same path, as he has always been the number one fan for all his descendants, and never wavered in his support. He also loved camping, boating, riding his motorcycle, and trying to be the poor man’s version of "Weird Al" Yankovic.

On September 5th, 2026, at 3:17 PM MT, Dick passed away in his own home surrounded by his wife, kids, and grandkids. Sure, there were tears, hugs, and sadness to go around, but mainly his family just remembered the zany and unpredictable sense of humor the family patriarch led his entire life with. Dick was preceded into death by his parents, and siblings, but survived by his wife, kids, and grandkids, as well as many nieces and nephews. His spirit will live on with his family that remembers him fondly.

Donations may be made to a memorial fund in Dick’s name to the Otis High School FFA program.