Goodbye, Friend...
- James Willmus
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read

It is hard to say goodbye to someone who has taught us all so much, and yet that is what those of us who were lucky enough to know Rick Mills had to do yesterday. The family will be doing a private ceremony for Rick at some point in the future, but on July 27th many of us gathered at the Monument Center in Rapid City to mourn together. Afterwards, the Black Hills Railway Society hosted an open house at their clubhouse in the basement of the Stockgrower's Association building in downtown Rapid City. We appreciate all the support Rick's family and friends have given the museum and are grateful to have them in our lives.
While Rick was not a founding member of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum, he did serve as our director and curator for fifteen years starting in 2010. Known to all as a kind and patient man with an enthusiasm for railroads that few people could match, you could find Rick most days at the front desk of the museum talking to visitors or out in the exhibit hall planning future projects. In his lifetime, Rick accomplished many things. He was one of three founders of the Hermosa Arts and History Association (HAHA), and worked often with Chris Laskowski at C-vision productions to bring world-class railroad documentaries to audiences around the world. Rick was an avid photographer and a collector whose contributions to the museum and to the wider Black Hills area cannot be put into words. In addition to all this, Rick gave dozens of interviews and was a consultant on films and TV shows about railroads and the history of the region. Simply put, Rick worked tirelessly to teach us the value of people, places, and trains.
I personally will be forever grateful for Rick's friendship and mentorship. I began volunteering for the SDSRM at the end of its first season in its current facility in 2010. Since that time I have been coming back to the museum and helping Rick with whatever he needed. There are many memories of Rick I will always cherish and many stories about him which I can't wait to tell in the future. What is heartwarming is knowing that many others who knew Rick can say the same and at least part of him will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of his friends and family. Three months after losing our dear friend, its time for those of us at the museum to focus on the future. There are exciting things to come which will be shared in the future. For instance, there are talks about a photography contest next year, a special run of commemorative model train cars, new exhibits and returning exhibits, a permanent tribute display dedicated to Rick, and much more!
I'd like to take a moment to thank Rick's family for a fantastic ceremony. They all worked hard to give us all the opportunity to say goodbye to our friend and those of us at the museum appreciate the efforts they made to give their brother and uncle a fitting send off. Our hearts remain with them and until we meet again, Rick, highball!
--James Willmus, Interim Director and SDSRM board member

Rick Wayne Mills, 1964-2025
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