Ronald Louis Stellmach, age 81, of Independence, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2024.

Ron was born in Little Falls, Minnesota on November 15, 1942, to the late Julius and Helen (Anderlie) Stellmach.  After graduating from Sauk Rapids High School in 1961, Ron enlisted in the US Navy, and served during the Panama Canal Crisis of 1964.  Ron earned a degree in Drafting and Design Technology from the St Cloud Area Vocational and Technical School in 1968.

He married Linda (Freeman) on August 31, 1968.

After 29 years as an officer at the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility, Ron retired in 2002, returning part time for 5 more years.

Truly a jack of all trades – carpentry, electrical, welding, plumbing – if it needed fixing Ron was the man.   Projects ranged from trailers, decks, cabinets, horse stalls and barn doors, to restoring a Ford truck.

Ron was an avid outdoorsman and especially loved the community of those he went hunting and fishing with.  He considered their many trips (Montana, Wyoming, Canada, Minnesota) a special time to be with friends and family – much more important than getting the elk or the walleye.  Extra special were the many fall camping trips he took with Linda to the North Shore.

In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by grandparents Dominick and Anna (Herzing) Stellmach, Ferdinand and Isabel (Houn) Anderlie; parents-in-law Wilbur and Polly Freeman; brothers-in-law Roger Sufka and Bernhard Seter; many loved aunts, uncles and cousins; and special friends cousin Ken Lange and George Vansteenburg. And all his much loved “4-footed friends.”

Survivors include his beloved wife, Linda; brothers Lester (Sherry), Delano, MN, and Cyril (Judi), Apple Valley, CA; sisters Donna (Jan) Bettenberg, Sartell, MN, and Karen (Roger) Sufka, Iron Mountain, MI; sister-in-law Faye (Bernhard) Seter, Grand Forks, ND; niece Stacy (Phil) Johnson, Salem, OR; nephews Richard Stellmach, Minnetonka, MN, Jon (Andrea) Wheeler, Clearwater, MN, Paul (Kate) Sufka, Eagan, MN, and Adam (Amy) Sufka, Sterling Heights, MI; and many beloved grand-nephews and nieces.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Monday, July 1^st   at Iten Funeral Home in Delano, MN.  Visitation at 10 AM with a service at 11AM, followed by lunch at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Animal Humane Society or to donor’s choice.