Ronald Laverne Benson, 72, of Austin, Minnesota, died Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, at the Golden Living Center West in Rochester, Minnesota, from complications of chronic pulmonary disease.

He was born Feb. 27, 1945. Ron lived in Austin and was a 1963 Austin High School graduate. Ron completed a course at Brown Institute in Minneapolis as a computer operator. He was employed with Hormel Foods Corp. in the plant. He was very fond of his dogs, Sasha and Maggy. Ron was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin.

Survivors include his sisters, Joanne Benson and Patty (Ron) Shatek, both of Austin; his nieces, Deanna Van Zee and Nicole Meyer; his aunts, Ruth (Sheldon) Lukes and Fern Johnson (Melvin Helle); and a son, David Joel Benson; as well as many cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Palmer and Anna (Helle) Benson.

A private memorial for Ron is planned.