Rhonda Ross

Rhonda Ross, age 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, South Dakota, to Ronald Ross and Phyllis (Smith) Ross.  She graduated from Huron High School in 1972 and from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1976 with a double major in English and Sociology.  She then taught high school English in Isabel, South Dakota, from 1976 – 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, South Dakota, 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 Rock'in Roustabout Red Hats, and shopping at thrift and antique stores, lots and lots of shopping! When she wasn’t on the move, she loved to watch the ID Channel (Lt. Kenda was her favorite), read books – especially biographies of famous people, attend live shows, plays and concerts, and stay up to date with her nephews and nieces.  She knew about every current event in the news and would call friends to talk to them about it – even if no one knew what she was talking about!

Rhonda is survived by brothers, Roger Ross (Paula Haupt), Blackhawk, SD, and Royal (LuAnn) Ross, Faribault, MN; nephews and niece, Rory Ross, Rapid City, SD, Rindi Ross, Phoenix, AZ, Ryder Ross, Safety Harbor, FL, Reed Ross, Brainerd, MN, Ren Ross (Alexis Stendel), Faribault, MN; great niece, Reese Ross, Rapid City, and great nephews, Reeve Ross, Rapid City, and Ryker Ross, Faribault; 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, SD. Rhonda will be laid to rest in Restlawn Memory Gardens in Huron, SD on May 13, 2023, at 2:00 pm.