Services for Ronald Franklin Edevold
Mon, 03/06/2023 - 11:30am
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Ronald Franklin Edevold was born Feb 10, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan to parents Oscar and Laura (Ness) Edevold. Ron passed away on February 23, 2023 at 83 years old. He had struggled for several years with Parkinson’s disease prior to his death at Brookdale Senior Living in Sun City West, Az.
Ron spent his early childhood years in Detroit, Michigan. At age 10, after the death of his father, Ron and his mother moved to Gonvick, MN. In high school, Ron played every sport, obtained his Eagle Scout badge, served as Scout Master and graduated in 1958 as the class Salutatorian.
Ron studied Engineering at the University of Minnesota - and also received a degree in Education from Bemidji State University with emphasis in Math, Physics and Chemistry. Ron’s passion was always playing the guitar and in these early years, he earned extra income by playing in a rock-n-roll band.
From 1960 to 1989, Ron was married to Myra Ness - and together they raised four children.
Ron taught high school science and math in several Minnesota schools including Duluth, Rothsay and Gonvick. He spent over a decade as a Safety Engineer with Aetna Life & Casualty – eagerly embracing the lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains and culture of the Southwest while he and his family lived in Denver and Albuquerque.
Ron was asked by his mother Laura and her husband, George Herberg for him to step in as manager of the family business, Winsor Products based in Gonvick, MN. Under Ron’s leadership (and later, ownership) sales of the main product - Mrs. Olson’s Lefse – quickly went from regional to national distribution. Today Winsor’s lefse can be found at Epcot Center, Disney Cruise Ships and on the shelves of most major supermarkets throughout the U.S.
During these later years, Ron met and married Paulette Korby. Ron and Paulette enjoyed a winter home in Sun City West, AZ and began to pursue their dreams of travel to such destinations as Norway, Europe and most recently Iceland. They enjoyed retirement between their homes in Gonvick and Sun City, Az.
Ron was a man of many interests and passions – including skiing, golf, chess, sailing, investing, hunting, and gardening (especially Pumpkins). Ron was one of the founders of the (tongue-in-cheek) Gonvick International Pumpkin Grower’s Association. Ron immersed himself in the art/science of “plant breeding” new pumpkin varieties - always with an eye towards winning “Largest Pumpkin” in the annual weigh-off competition.
Ron was a voracious reader and a lover of dogs – seeming to always have a book in hand and a dog by his side.
Above all, Ron truly enjoyed designing, inventing, and building. He built his first guitar, his first sailboat, his own darkroom for his photography hobby, his own telescope (he hand-ground the lens). He designed and built many of the food processing machines for Winsor Products – his children jokingly calling it “Willy Ron Wonka’s Lefsa Factory”.
Perhaps his most remarkable project was the family’s log home at Pine Lake, MN which was completely designed and built by Ron - with the help of his family. It was heated by an external wood-fueled furnace which provided in-floor heat. The home was both old and new - comprised of square, hand-hewn vintage logs that Ron sourced from three abandoned turn-of-the century farm homesteads which he reassembled into one large home.
Those who knew Ron, enjoyed his love of conversation; his dry wit and especially his unconventional view of just about everything.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Laura Edevold, baby brother, Donald and his step-father, George Herberg and his infant great grandson, Eliot Rakow.
Ron is survived by his wife, Paulette Edevold, his Sister, Arnelda and his 4 children: Mark Edevold (Jaci), Lisa Edevold (Scott), Craig Edevold (Betsey) and Eric Edevold (Jessica); his 7 grandchildren: Alex Edevold (Tiahna) Ryan Edevold, Oliver Mann, Nichole Rakow (Aaron), Jonathan Edevold (Emily), Sofie Edevold and Finn Edevold as well as 4 great grandchildren: Vincent, Krislynn, Alma and Henry and his 3 step-children, Heather Bergstedt (Brian), Steve Korby, Julie Korby, 6 step-grandchildren and 4 step-great grandchildren.