Ronald Francis Nordland, 71, passed away peacefully at home on March 27, 2016, after a four-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.

Ron was born on Nov. 26, 1944, in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, the son of Glen and Myrtle (Hyland) Nordland. He was a 1962 graduate of Blooming Prairie High School and attended Austin Community College. Ron married Deb Schara in 1964, and they later divorced. They had two children, Scott and Angela. Ron was very involved in all of their high school and 4-H activities. On March 7, 1992, Ron married Jan Marie Block (Nutt) at West St. Olaf Lutheran Church, and they had 24 years together. Ron was a hard worker throughout his whole life. He helped on the family farm, worked at the Albert Lea packing house, was a carpet layer, and helped out many friends and neighbors. He joined IBM in 1966, and was employed there for 35 years before retiring in 2001. He continued to work part-time at IBM until 2011. Ron could find anything to putz with and loved to do anything outdoors. He especially enjoyed golfing, hunting, fishing, camping, gardening, and feeding the wildlife. He was a farmer at heart, and enjoyed farming his few acres, all for the wildlife. Ron enjoyed watching his grandchildren play in their sports activities. He also loved watching professional football and baseball, and especially enjoyed the Minnesota Vikings, Twins, and Gophers. He was an active member of West St. Olaf Church, Oaks Golf Club, and the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. Ron was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and a friend to many. He was proud of his children and grandchildren. He loved spending time with family and friends, and even people he didn’t know.

He enjoyed telling stories and reminiscing. Some of the more recent stories he talked about were: Good Neighbor Days, summer vacations at the cabin up north with grandkids, Alaska fishing trip, MDHA banquets, annual vacations with the neighbors, flower shopping in Iowa, attending Minnesota Gopher football games, early morning birthday parties, firewood cutting in the fall, deer hunting with his family, ice fishing trips, Duck Shack hunting trips, pheasant hunting in South Dakota, turkey hunting in Yucatan, and summer golf outings.

Ron is survived by his wife, Jan Nordland, Hayfield, Minnesota; his children, Scott (Michelle) Nordland, Pine Island, Minnesota, Angela (George) Bailey, Lakeville, Minnesota; step-daughter, Amanda (Jason) Scheffler, Zumbrota, Minnesota; seven grandchildren, Brittany (Indy) Liljevall, Roman Nordland, Kendra and Beau Bailey, Peyton, Chase, and Emma Jervis; and one great-grandchild, Mitchell Liljevall; siblings, Gary (Darlene) Nordland, Austin, Minnesota, Marlene (Del) Williams, San Diego, California, Judy (George) Dykes, Dothan, Alabama, Norma (Lowell) Hyland, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Jan (Rod) Thompson, Austin, Minnesota, Mary (Barry) Thompson, Webster, Wisconsin, Deb Nordland (Ed), Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, and Denise Nordland, St. Paul, Minnesota. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Ardis Nutt, Winona, Minnesota; Jan’s sisters and their families, Susan (Dave) Benson, Hutchinson, Kansas, Sara (DeeJay) Unger, Escondido, California, Lisa Rossin, Mount Holly, North Carolina, Julie (Jeff) Jacobs, Waterville, Minnesota, Maribeth (Ernie) Taylo, Mount Holly North Carolina; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Ron wanted to pass on very special thanks to Mindy Hartgers and all the nurses on Gonda 10 at the Mayo Clinic for their loving care and support for the past four years, and for all the help from Seasons Hospice.

The funeral service for Ronald Francis Nordland will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2016, at West St. Olaf Lutheran Church 70640 ~ 260th Avenue, in Hayfield, Minnesota, with the Rev. Cheryl Indehar officiating. Interment will be in West St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2106, at Czaplewski Family Funeral Home 501 ~  Second Street NW and one hour before the service at the church on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested and appreciated to West St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Blessed be his memory. www.czaplewskifuneralhomes.com