Person:Ronald Blumhagen (1)

Ronald Blumhagen

Ronald Claire Blumhagen, son of Arno and Hazel (Lestina) Blumhagen, was born September 7, 1931, at Castalia, Iowa. He died Saturday, September 23, 1995, at his home in rural Monona. He was 64 years old.

He was baptized October 4, 1931, at Castalia, and confirmed May 20, 1945, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Monona. He graduated from Monona High School in 1949, and attended Teachers College in Cedar Falls. Ron was united in marriage to Bernadine Kugel on September 30, 1951, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa.

Ron farmed and sold Pioneer Seeds, drove school bus and was a rural mail carrier. He served on various boards, among those were the Luana-Monona Coop Creamery, Monona Coop, Northeast Iowa Telephone Company as director and vice-president, three years as president of the Decorah Conference Credit Union, and the Monona City Cemetery Board. Ron was also a member of the Clayton County Farm Bureau, serving ten years on the executive committee as vice president, county president and voting delegate. Ron served St. Paul Lutheran Church as a councilman, deacon and usher, ALCM President, MFL Inter-Church Council representative, president of the congregation and chairman of St. Paul's new parsonage committee.

Ron enjoyed going to antique shows and sales, and he also enjoyed the early morning quiet alongside a trout stream with friends.

Preceding him in death were his father, Arno, who died in 1966, and a sister, Joanne Suckow. Survivors include his wife, Bernie; one son, Jon Blumhagen of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Jyl and her husband Dennis Lee of Melbourne, Fla., and Cressa and her husband Don Miller of Broomfield, Colo; his mother, Hazel Blumhagen of Postville; five granddaughters; one grandson; a sister, Joanita and her husband Dan Schweikert of Monona, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, September 27, 1995, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Monona. Officiating were Pastor Terry Hudson and Pastor Eugene Kramer. Organist was Mrs. Connie Halvorsen. Active pallbearers were Harland Kottman, Roger Mohring, Gary Hoth, Duane Lamker, Randy Lamker and Don Havlicek. Honorary pallbearers were LaVerne Garms, Don Wold, Bernell Kliefoth, Virgil Thompson, Dean Schultz and Gene Baade. Schultz's Funeral Home of Monona was in charge of services. Burial was in the Monona City Cemetery.

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From the September 25, 1995, edition of the Cedar Rapids (IA) Gazette

Man killed when mower flips

A rural Monona man is dead after the lawn mower he was riding overturned on a hill.

Ronald C. Blumhagen, 64, was killed about 1:45 pm Saturday at his home along highways 18 and 52, about one-half mile south of Monona.

According to Clayton County Sheriff's reports, Blumhagen was mowing a hill at his residence when the mower rolled, landing on top of him.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - September 26, 1995

MONONA, Iowa - Ronald Claire Blumhagen, 64, of rural Monona, died Saturday, Sept. 23, 1995, as the result of injuries sustained in an accident at home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Monona, with the Rev. Terry Hudson and the Rev. Eugene Kramer officiating. Burial will be in the Monona City Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Schultz's Funeral Home, Monona. Mr. Blumhagen farmed and sold Pioneer Seeds, drove school bus and was a rural mail carrier. He was born on Sept. 7, 1931, in Castalia, son of Arno and Hazel (Lestina) Blumhagen. He was baptized on Oct. 4, 1931, at Castalia, and confirmed May 20, 1945, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Monona. He graduated from Monona High School in 1949 and attended the former Teachers College, Cedar Falls. He married Bernadine "Bernie" Kugel on Sept. 30, 1951, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Postville. He served on various boards including: Luana-Monona Co-op Creamery; Monona Co-op; Northeast Iowa Telephone Co. as director and vice president; three years as president of the Decorah Conference Credit Union; and the Monona City Cemetery Board. He also was a member of the Clayton County Farm Bureau, serving 10 years on the executive committee as vice president, county president and voting delegate. He served St. Paul's Lutheran Church as a councilman, deacon, usher, ALCM president, MFL Inter-Church Council representative, president of the congregation and chairman of St. Paul's new parsonage committee. He enjoyed going to antique shows and sales and the early morning quiet alongside a trout stream with friends. Surviving are his wife, Bernadine "Bernie" Blumhagen; a son, Jon Blumhagen, of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Jyl (and Dennis) Lee, of Melbourne, Fla., and Cressa (and Don) Miller, of Broomfield, Colo.; five granddaughters and one grandson; his mother, Hazel Blumhagen, of Postville; a sister, Joanita (and Dan) Schweikert, of Monona; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Arno, on Jan. 26, 1966; and a sister, Joanne Suckow.