Reverend Ronald (Ron) Onnen died Tuesday, January 16, 2018, in Rochester. He was born February 3, 1929, near Manson, Iowa, to Henry and Caroline (Berner) Onnen. After graduating from Manson High School in 1947, Ron decided to become a pastor. He graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, then finished his education at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.
After being ordained in 1955, Ron began his ministry at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. On October 20, 1956, he married Dolores (Dee) Reindollar, a parish worker, at her home church in Pennsylvania.
Ron's marriage and family grew quickly. Daughter Jennifer (Jenny) was born in 1958, followed by son Paul in 1962. Ron accepted another call to First English Lutheran Church in Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1958.
In 1967, the family moved to Succasunna, New Jersey, where Ron led Redeemer Lutheran Church until 1975. Their family was completed with the birth of daughter Beth in 1967 and son Dave in 1969.
Ron's last full-time congregation was in Litchfield, Minnesota, where he served as Senior Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church from 1975 until his retirement in 1991. Ron and Dee then moved to Rochester, where he continued his ministry with visitation work at congregations in rural Rochester, Albert Lea, Owatonna and Wabasha, Wisconsin.
Ron's interests included woodworking, restoring old cars, traveling, reading and history. He suffered from Parkinson's disease and Lewy-Body Dementia, prompting his move to the Ponds Memory Care Center in 2016.
Left to cherish his memory are Dee, his wife of 61 years; daughter Jenny Skinner (fiance Paul Lang); son Paul (Lily); daughter Beth Lastine (Doug); and son Dave. He was also loved by grandchildren Kelly Skinner (fiance Anthony Skaalerud); Rachel Skinner; Mark, Eric, Olivia, and Afton Onnen; and Kyle and Sara Lastine. In addition, he is survived by sister Phyllis Fevold (Lowell), sister-in-law Ellen Onnen, brother-in-law Everett Miller, other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Jeff Skinner, four brothers and three sisters.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 20, at 11:00 am at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Rochester. Visitation will be Friday, January 19, from 5-7 pm at the church, and one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Parkinson's Foundation (www.parkinson.org).
Visitation
JAN
19.
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CST)
Mount Olive Lutheran Church
2830 18th Avenue NW
Rochester, MN 55901
Funeral Service
JAN
20.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CST)
Mount Olive Lutheran Church
2830 18th Avenue NW
Rochester, MN 55901