March 14, 1954 – January 7, 2023
Rhonda Ross, 68, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on January 7, 2023, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. She was with her brother, Royal Ross, and his wife LuAnn.
Rhonda was born on March 14, 1954, in Huron to Ronald Ross and Phyllis (Smith) Ross. She graduated from Huron High School in 1972 and from Northern State University in Aberdeen in 1976 with a double major in English and Sociology. She taught high school English in Isabel from 1976 to 1995. It was at this point that she made a “run for the hills,” the Black Hills that is, where she started her second career in the Deadwood gaming industry. She worked at several casinos in Deadwood in the cashier’s cage, as a blackjack dealer and as a pit boss.
She happily retired in 2019 and devoted her life to passions such as volunteering with Feeding South Dakota, Youth and Family Services, partying with the Rockin’ Roustabout Red Hats, and shopping at thrift and antique stores. When she wasn’t on the move, she loved to watch the ID, read books, attend live shows, plays and concerts, and stay up to date with her nephews and nieces.
Rhonda is survived by brothers, Roger Ross (Paula Haupt) of Blackhawk and Royal (LuAnn) Ross of Faribault, MN; nephews and niece, a great-niece, and two great-nephews; 13 first cousins; and best friend of 62 years, Joanne “Jo” (Kutil) Oliver, and many, many great friends.
She was preceded in death by her father, Ronald Ross (1989), mother, Phyllis Ross (2012) and first cousins Myron Winter (1986) and Marcine Elder (2021).
A Celebration of Life is planned for April 22, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm at The Lodge in Deadwood. Rhonda will be laid to rest in Restlawn Memory Gardens in Huron on May 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.