Richard Scheidt Obituary

Richard "Rick" William Scheidt passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at St. Vincent Hospital on February 19, 2026 due to a sudden illness and a courageous battle with cancer. He was 73 years old. Rick was born in Billings, Montana on May 1, 1952 to Ann (Sabe) and William "Bill" Scheidt. He grew up in Custer, Montana, the oldest of five siblings. Rick met and married Gayle Chappell, a brown-eyed girl from Pompeys Pillar on June 22, 1974. They welcomed their first daughter, Nichole, and moved to Forsyth in 1978, when Rick transferred with the railroad. Daughters Casey and Molly were born thereafter, and Rick became the ultimate girl Dad.

Rick proudly dedicated 41 years to the BNSF Railroad, where he played an active role in the unions, mentored engineers-in-training, and served as President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Of all the things he loved about the job, his favorite was taking in the quiet beauty of Montana's landscape, a scenic view he cherished on every trip.

Rick was deeply devoted to the Forsyth community he loved. A man of strong faith, he served his Catholic parish as a lector, music minister, Cum Christo leader, and Parish Council member. He blessed others with his beautiful singing voice in the Forsyth Community Choir for many years, served ten years on the Forsyth School Board, and was always a proud Dogie supporter.

When his daughters were old enough to play softball, he spent 14 years coaching them. In the scorching heat, his passion would occasionally get the best of him, such as the time he told his team they looked like "a bunch of sick cows," or when he disagreed with an umpire's call and tossed a base across the field. Still, Rick had a natural gift for coaching. He inspired and mentored the girls both on and off the field, bringing out their strengths and guiding them to success, with his teams ultimately winning four state championships.

Once the long softball season ended, he would wrap up summer at the lake, Tongue River, his true "happy place." He would pull his three girls, and anyone else who was around, for endless hours behind the boat; skiing, knee boarding, and tubing. For Rick, lake life meant campfire stories, cold beers, guitar playing, singing, star gazing, and, of course, fishing.

Although Rick's girls were the apple of his eye, there was no greater pride and joy than when he became "Papa" to his seven grandchildren. With the twinkle in his eye and huge smile on his face, he was beaming as he cheered on his grandkids with all their activities. They kept him busy, but young, as he was their number one fan.

Rick was affectionately known by many names to those closest to him: "Papa" to his grandchildren, "Bubba" to his siblings, and "Papasawn" or "Pops" to his daughters. Regardless of the name, he consistently led by example, instilling in his girls the values of faith, strength, and purposeful living.

Rick loved life and had many hobbies. He loved reading, crosswords, Sudoku, Candy Crush, cards, and puzzles. He grew a garden and kept a pristine lawn, which became his post-retirement passion. Rick could often be found in his back yard for happy hour beers and BBQ, always working to perfect his grilling. One of his many legacies was "Rick's Roca," which he learned from his father and perfected over the years, making hundreds of batches of almond roca for family and friends every Christmas.

If you knew Rick, you knew he was a die-hard Cubs fan for life. He proudly wore his Cubs apparel and welcomed any opportunity to strike up a conversation about his beloved team, faithfully flying his "W" flag after each victory. A cherished highlight of his life came in 2016 when the Cubs captured the World Series in a historical Game Seven, ending a 108-year championship drought. In the seasons that followed, he often closed with the hopeful phrase, "Maybe next year," a reflection of his enduring loyalty and optimism. Go Cubs Go!

Rick never met a stranger. His conversations were always genuine and intentional. Even the smallest errand became an opportunity to connect and visit. He treasured his friendships deeply and some of his happiest moments were spent casting a line alongside them.

Rick is preceded in death by his parents Bill and Ann Scheidt, stepmother Marian, father and mother-in-law John and Carole Chappell, brother-in-laws Kip Pollock and Gene Decker, nephews Josh Meredith, and Joshua, Ryan, and Kristopher Secrest, and niece Kim Meissner.

Rick is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Gayle, his three brown-eyed girls Nichole (Mattia) Ferrari, Casey Glenn, Molly (Steve) Fay, and seven precious grandchildren Jacob, Brody, Lauren, Abigayle, Natalie, Baylee, and Matthew. He is also survived by his four siblings Char Berdahl, Steve (Diana) Scheidt, Betty (Jim) Smrcka, and Debbie Gardner and sister-in-laws Gaye Decker, Kim Pollock, and Lori (Max) Pangburn. Last but not least, numerous nieces and nephews and dear friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 28th at 11:00 am at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Forsyth, Montana, with a luncheon to follow. You are welcome to wear Cubs, New York Giants, or MSU Bobcat gear, as these were his favorite teams. There will also be a reception to follow at the Forsyth Country Club about 2:00 pm. Please come share a beer and a story.

Special thanks to the emergency room team at Rosebud Health Care Center, the Forsyth Ambulance crew, the ICU team at St. Vincent Healthcare, and the numerous cancer-fighting doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals at Billings Clinic throughout his journey. Our deepest gratitude for being our "Earth Angels."

If you would like to send the family condolences, or make a final personal comment, Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home have been entrusted with arrangements: www.stevensonandsons.com. Richard William Scheidt