Richard Ralph Brosius

Services for RICHARD RALPH BROSIUS, 76, will be held and announced at a later date. Richard passed away peacefully September 19, 2025, in Fort-Collins, Colorado and cremation has taken place. Condolences may be sent to www.colyerfuneralhome.com Richard was born on July 13, 1949, in Torrington, Wyoming, to Ralph and Catherine Brosius. He grew up as the only boy among eight children-three older sisters and four younger ones-an upbringing that no doubt shaped his sharp wit, independence, and colorful character. Rick graduated from Torrington High school in 1967 and soon after enlisted in the U.S Army, where he became a warrant officer and learned to fly helicopters. He served in Vietnam, flying combat Hueys, beginning a lifelong love affair with flight. Following his military service, he attended the University of Wyoming and earned his bachelor's degree, with Honors, in Mechanical Engineering, Rick was also in the Wyoming National Guard and served as a Chief Warrant Officer flying UH1 Huey and UH60 Blackhawk Helicopters. His career took him to the skies in extraordinary ways. Rick became a test pilot for Sikorsky Aircraft, where he spent 20 years pushing helicopters to their limits. He was certified to fly Marine One, the President's helicopter, as a test pilot. After Sikorsky, his love of adventure carried him overseas to Norway as a corporate pilot, and later back to the U.S with FlexJet, where he flew private jets until his retirement in 2013. By then, Rick had been to every country in the world except Russia and Africa, a distinction he carried with pride and no small measure of delight. He was also a member of Mensa, though he never needed a certificate to prove the razor-sharp intelligence and curiosity that defined him. Never content to let others set the boundaries of possibility, Rick poured the same inventive energy into his personal pursuits. He owned and flew his beloved Mooney airplane across the country, often bringing family members along on unforgettable adventures. In true Rick fashion, he once modified his plane with custom fuel tanks and equipment so he could cross the Atlantic to Europe-earning FAA approval for his modification "with flying colors". He also loved sailing, charting courses along the U.S. east coast and venturing into northern Europe and Scandinavia. On one voyage, he navigated through the canals of France, just because he could. Rick's personality was as big as his adventures. He was brilliant, witty, eccentric, and endlessly interesting-someone who never shied away from risk, discovery, or a good story. He turned 13 on a Friday the 13th, and, with characteristic humor and mathematical precision, he calculated that if he lived to 82, he would celebrate 13 Friday-the-13th birthdays. He is survived by his seven sisters: Patricia (Ken) Persson of Lander, WY; Mary Pendley of Charleston, SC; Barbara (Geoff) Burdge of St. Petersburg, FL; Selena Sue (Brice)Johnson of Cheyenne, WY; Wanda (Ron) Russell of Torrington, WY; Diane (Steve) Peddicord of Aubrey, TX; and Teresa (David) Kane of Sheridan, Wy. He also leaves behind 14 nieces and nephews and countless great and great-great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. Rick's life was a testament to curiosity, courage, and a refusal to live within ordinary limits. His family and friends will remember him not only as a gifted pilot and engineer but also as a true original-one who soared high, charted his own course, and left behind stories as unforgettable as the man himself.

Richard Ralph Brosius

July 13, 1949 - September 19, 2025