CUSHING — Ramona E. Ryckman, 89, passed away peacefully at home with her daughter by her side on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Born in Thomaston, on July 29, 1936, she was the daughter of Frank A. and Ina May (Creamer) Crute. She received her education in Thomaston and was a proud member of the Thomaston High School Class of 1955.

Following graduation, Ramona ventured to California with her brother, where she met the love of her life, Leonard Ryckman, who was serving in the United States Navy. The couple made their home in California until 1974, when a job opportunity brought them to Nebraska. They later relocated to Fredericksburg, Virginia, so that the couple could be near Leonard’s father. In 1979, she purchased a home in Cushing, a property that has been cherished by four generations of her family, and it remained her beloved home for the rest of her life.

Ramona was a quiet soul who found deep contentment in simple pleasures. She loved spending time outdoors, searching for wildflowers and keeping her yard neat and tidy. Solitude suited her well, and she embraced it with grace. She was a devoted caregiver, caring for her husband for the last 25 years of his life. She managed his medications, appointments, and daily needs, and by her own account, she loved every minute of it.

Ramona was a woman of faith and a lover of music. In words she penned for her daughter, she expressed her lifelong love of hymns, particularly I'll Fly Away, a song that gave her comfort and certainty that when her earthly life ended, her soul would fly to be with Christ her Savior and reunite with the family and friends who had gone on before her.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Leonard Ryckman, and her siblings, Kenneth, Donald, Frank, Harvey, and Douglas Crute, and Dorothy Crute-Snapp.

She is survived by her children, Paul Ryckman of Spotsylvania, Virginia, Karl Ryckman of Auburn, and Beth Rogers and her husband David of Cushing; nine grandchildren, Crystal, Brittany, Richard, Lyndee, Kayla, Mariah, William, Paul Jr., and Chance; four great-grandchildren, Leighton, Liam, Eva, and Aiden; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Ramona's family has chosen to remember her life privately. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in Cushing.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. To share a memory or condolence with Ramona’s family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.