Funeral services for 67-year old former Chadron State College football standout Rick Mikelson of Julesburg, CO, are Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 10:30 at the Berea Lutheran Church in Chappell, NE, with Pastor Scotty Ray officiating.Â
The services will be streamed live at prairiehillsjulesburg.com.
Interment will be in the Berea Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 3:00 until 7:00 pm at the Prairie Hills Funeral Home in Julesburg.
A memorial has been established in Rick’s memory for later designation.
Condolences may be shared online at prairiehillsjulesburg.com.
Ricky Gene Mikelson, the son of Gene Mikelson and Jackie Ebke, was born December 12, 1955, in Julesburg and passed away Dec 7, 2023, at Fort Collins, CO.
Rick was the only son of his parents and the little brother to his two older sisters. He attended school in Julesburg, where he played football and basketball and competed in track before graduating from Julesburg High School in 1974.
After high school, Rick was accepted at Chadron State College in Chadron, NE, on a football and track scholarship. He graduated from Chadron in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in recreation sports management.
Besides earning a degree, Rick was such a valuable defensive lineman to the Eagles that he was inducted into the Chadron State College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.
Rick was a 3-year starter at tackle and earned all-district and honorable mention All-American honors as a senior in 1977. He led the team in tackles in 1975 and ’77 with 104 and 101, respectively, and also threw the shot for the CSC track team as a junior and senior.
Rick’s football journey lasted beyond Chadron State: he was the football and strength coach for Garden City Community College in Kansas, the author of a weightlifting book, a member of the Seattle Seahawks and later the Tri-City Jets, and he coached at Chadron State College.
Following his collegiate journey, Rick married his wife Barbara on August 3rd, 1985, at Berea Lutheran Church in Chappell. Rick and Barb were joined as man and wife before welcoming three children, Cassandra, Corey, and Chad, into their family.
Rick was a loving and devoted father known famously for attending every one of his children’s athletic and academic events in both high school and college.
During his decades spent as a dedicated husband and father, Rick worked for the Deuel County (NE) and Sedgwick County (CO) Road and Bridge Departments, Ebke Brothers Farming, and the Union Pacific Railroad, among others.
Rick retired from the U-P in 2022 and spent his retirement in the town he was born in, surrounded by his wife, mother, children, and grandchildren.
Rick was preceded in death by sister Vickie Bones, stepfather Elmer Ebke, father and stepmother Gene and Virginia Mikelson, and many other loved ones.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Mikelson of Julesburg; daughter Cassandra and Brady Doty; son Corey (Madelyn) Mikelson; and son Chad Mikelson; mother Jackie Ebke of Julesburg; sister Marsha and Steve Lockhart; nephews Matt (Davina) Lockhart; Bill (ReNae) Lockhart; Sean Lockhart; Rick (Dee) Lockhart; and niece Lindsay (Aaron) Meyer. Rick’s greatest joys were his three young granddaughters: Jacqueline, Neligh, and Odette Doty.
Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Julesburg, CO, is in charge of arrangements.