Ronald Evan Carrick

Ronald Evan Carrick was a gold miner, church elder, amateur photographer and loving husband who lived a rich life in the West.

He died of a heart attack on June 19, 2025, in Fruita, Colorado, at 79, just nine days before his 80th birthday.

The second of two children, Ron was born June 28, 1945, to Alfred B. Carrick and Eula C. (Stanley) Carrick in Anthony, Kansas.

Ron had numerous occupations throughout his life. He owned his own business as a flat-work concrete finisher in Denver, Colorado, and he staked mining claims in the Snowy Mountains of Montana, in Wyoming, and in Death Valley, California. He was a gold miner and assayer. (Biggest assay: 54 oz/ton, of which he was quite proud!) He also worked as a lumber grader.

Ron loved the Lord, and he was rebaptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church in Lewistown, Montana, in 1991. He served nine years as Elder/Head Elder there, and he talked fondly of Sabbath afternoons when he took his “old ladies” on rides to Crystal Lake and church social evenings.

After moving to Fruita, Colorado, in 2006, to take care of his father, he met and married Viki Gnose on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008. They loved spending time visiting their combined family of nine children, nine grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

On December 19, 2023, Ron suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke. When he awoke following surgery on December 23, he knew all the family and friends gathered around him and had no physical or speech deficits. On January 6, just 18 days later, Ron officiated as Elder at his first Sabbath home after surgery.

Ron’s life-long passion was photography, whether taking pictures of elk in the Missouri River Breaks of Montana, the Rocky Mountains, sheep in The Monument, or the famous Monument itself near his home.

He never tired of trips up into the Monument to get more pictures of the Desert Mountain sheep. The most exciting trip was when he and Viki heard “shots” in the park, and he then took pictures of two rams fighting for supremacy. Their head-butting created what sounded like gunshots!

During the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the park, Ron submitted a picture of a ram into a commemorative competition. It was awarded a six-month display in the City and County buildings in Grand Junction.

Ron’s faith in the all-encompassing love of his Heavenly Father and the steadfastness of his beloved wife was his strength and comfort through the last several months of increasing cognitive decline. He went to sleep at home, without fear, and trusting in a soon-coming resurrection morning.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred (2011) and Eula (2000); stepmother Betty (Drumm) Carrick (2012); son Timothy Dunning (2011); sister Ellen Welker (2023); and niece Dona Smith (1985).

He is survived by his wife, Victoria (Blisserd) Gnose Carrick; his children, Thomas (Tanya) Carrick, Todd Carrick, Shannon Foucher, Jason Foucher, David Bogachoff, Kim (James) Pike, Kristy (Wilson) Hardy, Brock (Keila Szpaller) Gnose; granddaughter Teagan Shea Carrick; great-granddaughter Arlie; niece Debbie (Craig) Newman; grandniece Candy (A.J.) Armstrong; aunt LaWanda McCorkle; .and cousins Maynard (Lynette) Carrick and Bruce McCorkle.

A celebration of life is to be held July 19, 2025, at the Seventh-day Adventist church, 550 25 ½ Road, Grand Junction. Gifts in memory of Ron’s commitment to sharing the Gospel’s Good News may be made to Lightbearers at: donations@lightbearers.org (Light Bearers Ministry is a registered charity with Tax ID 91-1320416.)