Richard A. Rotzien

Richard A.Rotzien 83, passed away Monday morning, July 1, 2025 at Valley Senior living on Columbia in Grand Forks, North Dakota after an extended illness.

Rich was born in Fargo, ND on March 6, 1942 to Courtney and Virginia Rotzien. He attended the schools within walking distance from his home, Hawthorn Elementary, Agassi Junior High, and Central High School from which he graduated in 1960. The neighborhood provided many friends with whom Rich played catch with tennis balls, touch football and even volleyball with a net strung across his part of Eighth Avenue South in Fargo. He married Beverly Gorden and they had a daughter, Keri. Rich worked for the Red Owl chain then later went into business as a self-employed artist.

Rich and brother Charlie were fishing buddies and fished together on many of the lakes in western Becker and Ottertail counties where Rich taught his brother how to jig fish with his homemade lures. Rich didn’t like to eat fish so the catches were released. Rich was a very talented artist, and his craft varies from carved and painted fish to acrylic portraits of Native Americans to charcoal drawings of celebrities. His art will be his legacy.

Rich is survived by his daughter Keri, grandson, Gage; brother, Charles, sister-in-law, Lucille; niece, Cindy Tortorelli, and nephew Craig Rotzien. Amundson funeral home in Grand Forks is handling the arrangement but Rich requested that there be no formal service.