Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Sorry to hear. He was a super nice guy. Condolences to Ruby, family and friends.

Dang it! Sorry to see this.
My brother and I visited him quite a few years ago, we both enjoyed our time with him that day. When I would call looking for some small parts he always encouraged me to come back with a trailer and he would load me up with some of his extras. I don't think he ever charged me more than shipping for what I needed

I remember visiting Chuck’s place at the Granbury trade fair. His collection is what motivated me to start collecting. He treated me like we had been friends forever. He was a true pioneer to collecting windmills. He will be missed by most of us windmillers.

Charles "Chuck" William Rickgauer
Granbury
October 12, 1944 - March 11, 2024

LCDR (retired) Charles (Chuck) Rickgauer, 79, of Tolar, passed away on March 11, 2024. Chuck was born on October 12th, 1944 in Kadoka, SD to his parents Pearl Murray Rickgauer and Edward Rickgauer. After graduating from Mitchell High school, Mitchell, SD in 1962, he married Ruby Wittstruck from Ethan, SD on July 28th, 1963. Chuck joined the Navy in 1963 and attended submarine school in Groton, CN. He was a plank owner and became submarine qualified on the USS Mariano G Vallejo as an enlisted man. Chuck attended the University of Texas through the NESP program, earned a degree in Engineering, and received his commission in 1973. Chuck served as an assistance weapons office, weapons officer, and Navigator on SSBN submarines USS John C Calhoun, USS Simon Bolivar, USS Daniel Boone, and the USS James Madison. He was also a qualified navy diver. After retiring from the Navy, Chuck was employed at the Comanche Peak Power Plant as a manager in Glen Rose, TX. He pursed his hobby of rebuilding, erecting, and maintaining antique windmills. That started when they brought the first windmill home from his in-laws farm in Ethan, SD. Chuck and his wife Ruby built and ran the Windmill Farm Bed and Breakfast in Tolar. Chuck was an avid scuba diver, runner, bike rider, and square dancer for many years. Chuck was very active in the Military Officers Association of America, Windmiller’s Trade Fair, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., the VFW and the Granbury Grand Squares,

Chuck was predeceased by his parents Pearl and Edward Rickgauer, and his brother Henry Rickgauer. He is survived by his wife Ruby, his children Charlene and Richard Maddox, Kelly and Maureen Rickgauer, his sister Helen Jerome, his grandchildren Kaylie and Morgan Rickgauer.


Visitation will be held, 1-2pm, Friday, March 15, 2024, Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury, Texas. Burial following, 2:30pm at Holly Hills Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Parkinson's Foundation.

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituari ... -rickgauer

Terry , thanks for posting Chuck's obit .

I was reading Chucks obit and was thinking back to when my brother and I visited, we talked briefly about what I did and what my brother did to make a living. Chuck never shared with us his accomplishments in life and his service to our country, when my brother asked, he changed the subject and we were off and running on windmills, some of the ones he had, there unique features, if there was something interesting about a particular one and what they needed when he rebuilt them.

I guess the address in an early Windmill directory can be used to send a card?

I did a Google search for "The windmill farm B&B of Tolar Texas" and the address came up.
You are welcome for the obituary.
Terry