Rickey Dean Hull, longtime resident of Crawford, passed away December 25th, 2024. Rick was born on June 13, 1947 in Greeley, CO to Harrison and Addison Hull. At age 17, Rick was the bassist in the band “The Monocles,” which changed its name to “Higher Elevation” in 1967. They recorded several hit songs- including “Summer Skies” and “Odyssey” which would eventually lead to a record deal with Liberty Records.
In his adulthood, Rick was an expert pipe-maker and worked with pipestone to create beautiful, handcrafted works of art. He enjoyed sharing the craft with his community, teaching and carrying on the cultural tradition of pipe making. Chadron State College welcomed Rick to speak for the Northern Plains Indian culture class to discuss his trade and uses of this sacred stone in 2010.
Rick was proud of his part in the effort to build and dedicate the Cheyenne Breakout Monument southwest of Fort Robinson. In 2002, while living in Pipestone, Minnesota, Rick was visited by Vincent WhiteCrane of the Cheyenne tribe and asked if he would consider donating the precious pipestone used as a facing for the monument. Upon his arrival, WhiteCrane met with Rick and Rick’s pet buffalo, who followed Rick like a dog and did tricks for a slice of apple.
Rick quarried the pipestone by hand, and the pieces were loaded onto a truck and brought to Crawford for the construction of the monument. Rick came right along with the rock, and his passion and love for the monument and the land would lead him to reside in Crawford for the rest of his life. Rick spent the next several years intricately carving and fitting pieces of the quarried pipestone. The monument was completed in 2016. It is among Rick’s proudest achievements, and was something he loved to share with family, friends, and neighbors, with several family members travelling from all over the country to visit Rick and the monument he helped build.
Rick is survived by his daughter Gwen (Justin) Smith of Roseburg, Oregon, grandchildren Emily, Allyona, and Jaxson Smith, nephew Jim Hull of Hawaii, great nephew Brandon Hull, great niece Shayla Hull, his dog Wambli, his cat Little Bat, his best friend Bill Rawhouser of Crawford, and countless other neighbors and friends who loved and cared for him. Rick is preceded in death by parents Harrison and Addison Hull of Greeley, Colorado and Stepmother Betty Hull.
Memorial service to be scheduled.