Rick H Vigil

Rick Vigil passed away on December 24, 2023 after a brief illness. He was born in Murray, Utah on April 11, 1956. He grew up in Midvale, Utah and was a longtime resident of Taylorsville.

Rick met his wife Teresa Vigil in 1982 and they were married for 38 years. Rick welcomed Teresa and her young son Josh into his life with open arms. Rick and Teresa had two more children, Ricky and Jaimie.

Our dad was always the first person in line to lend a helping hand and gave of himself without asking anything in return. Whether he was helping with a household project, delivering holiday gift baskets, or buying lemonade from the neighbor kids, Rick approached the world with a sense of kindness that was immediately palpable to those who were lucky enough to know him.

Rick was the Popeye to Teresa’s Olive Oyl—strong, fearless and loving. They worked hard for their kids, providing us with the best lives we ever could have asked for. Rick and Teresa loved trips to the mountains, Wendover, Reno and especially Las Vegas, where you could find them at Margaritaville or having the time of their lives on the strip.

Rick was a proud small business owner, operating his company Aztec Pavers for over 20 years. His work spoke for itself, as his clientele was built almost exclusively by word of mouth. In addition to countless residential projects, he and his crew (including his nephew David Tafoya) worked on jobs at Temple Square, Thanksgiving Point, the Sugarhouse Shopping Center and even had some of their work featured on the Discovery TV show “Tanked.”

Rick shared a special bond with his grandchildren, Jayden, Alyssa, Rose and Flynn. He never missed one of Jayden’s baseball games, and took great joy in traveling to tournaments with Teresa and the whole family. Rick always made sure Alyssa wasn’t left out at the ballpark, treating her to snacks at the concession stand and taking time to play with her at the park. He was proud to see the amazing young people that Jayden and Alyssa have grown into. During a recent trip to the mountains, Rick taught his youngest granddaughter Rose how to fish! His youngest grandson Flynn loved spending time with his grandpa, who always matched his silliness and sweetness. Rose and Flynn loved their grandpa so much, and he took every chance he could to spend time with them. Our dad could build anything and was not scared to take on new projects. He had recently built his own camping trailer, which he proudly hauled to Little Mill campground in American Fork canyon—one of his favorite places in the world. Rick had a lifelong passion for Volkswagens. He owned several Beetles throughout his life and was always excited whenever a new model was released. He was a longtime subscriber to Hot VWs magazine, attended the Las Vegas Bug-o-Rama many times and collected Volkswagen Hot Wheels and t-shirts.

Rick was an amazing cook—no one could make enchiladas or posole like our dad. Mornings spent around the kitchen table with a breakfast feast and at summer barbecues are memories that we will always cherish. We will miss taking trips to Lagoon, the State Fair on opening day and seeing his front yard haunted house come together every year. The void left in our lives is immeasurable, but Rick taught all of us to approach the world with kindness, to work hard and to take care of each other.

Rick is survived by his loving wife Teresa, his children Josh (Jessi), Ricky (Serena), Jaimie Branscomb (Fred), his grandchildren Jayden, Alyssa, Rose and Flynn. Rick also leaves behind his siblings Annabel, Gloria and Ben and their children as well as extended family. We would like to extend a special thanks to his lifelong brother Robert Padilla and Ted Maestas and family for their support. Rick was preceded in death by his mother Laura and father Harold. Rick did not want any funeral services, and his family is honoring his wishes. Rick’s ashes will be interred at Memorial Redwood in West Jordon, Utah.