Helping Janelle and the girls after Brian's passing

Brian Ross Ortiz, 47, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Monument Health in Rapid City.

Brian was born on May 10, 1977, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He became enthralled with the restaurant industry at a young age and began cooking in locations around the city. He quickly found his passion for cooking, particularly Italian food, at Scalo in Albuquerque. After the trip of a lifetime to be the Sous Chef at Rapids Camp Fishing Lodge in Alaska, Brian moved to Custer to be the Sous Chef at the State Game Lodge and then, later, Executive Chef at Sylvan Lake Lodge. He fell in love with the Black Hills. He has spent the last three years as the Executive Chef for the Black Hills Playhouse. To be able to "be a Chef in the woods” was a dream come true for Brian.

Brian was just as passionate about the outdoors as he was about cooking. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, kayaking, camping, and basketball. He loved driving the Wildlife Loop and Iron Mountain Road just to observe nature. But most of all, Brian loved to play practical jokes and laugh. His smile, jokes, and laughter will live in our hearts forever.

Brian is survived by his partner Janelle and girls, Alivia, Kenna, Freya and puppy Chile of Rapid City. His son, Daven-Mykel, mom Amy Ortiz, dad and Stepmom Louie and Carlotta Ortiz, siblings Collan and Baily Oliva, Benjamin and Angeline Ortiz as well as many friends and colleagues all over the world.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Brian on the afternoon of June 2nd at the Hotel Alex Johnson Ballroom.

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On Tuesday April 15, the world lost Brian suddenly and unexpectedly. To Janelle and the girls he was a dreamer, a do-er, a handyman, and a father figure. He was an outdoorsman, a chef and a mentor to Freya as she learns to navigate the world with dyslexia. He supported the community, the theater. He was their world, and they are devastated.

Brian and Janelle shared the financial responsibilities of everything (rent, food, repairs, clothes, etc) and without Brian that stability is in doubt.

As people they touched a large cast of lives, we are hoping that troop can rally together, a curtain call if you will, to help bring some stability if even just for the short term as they pick up the pieces of the loss of Brian.

**This GoFundMe is being organized by Jared Wieseler on behalf of and with permission of Janelle. All donations will go directly to Janelle.