Ron Soens
Ronald F. “Ron” Soens of Haxtun died and went to be with the Lord on Monday morning, Aug. 19, 2019, at the age of 84. He was born to Fred and Dorothy (Nesgaard) Soens on July 21, 1935, in Racine, Wisconsin. Ron was blessed to live with his grandparents in Wisconsin up until the time that he moved to Edgewater the summer before his senior year of high school.
Soon after graduating from Edgewater High School, he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he received special training as an airplane and jet engine mechanic. Ron was recognized with a good conduct medal, marksmanship award and national defense medal and was honorably discharged on April 1, 1959.
While in the Marine Corps, Ron married Susan Rhodes, to which four children were born. Several years after his divorce, Ron married Jerilyn “Jeri” Dally in May of 1970, and soon after, their two families were meshed together and became one.
While living in Wisconsin, Ron developed a deep love for sailing and was an active member of the Racine Yacht Club for many years. He and his grandfather would sail Lake Michigan, fishing the countless coves and pools all along the way.
Throughout his lifetime, Ron’s passion for sailing never waned, and in 1996, with wife Jeri as his first mate, they purchased a Catalina 25 and named it “Uff-da.” Now with his new crew at his side, he sailed in the Lake McConaughey Governor’s Cup, the Catalina 25 Regatta at Colorado’s Carter Lake and others, where he brought home trophies and wonderful memories of his sailing adventures.
Ron had many hobbies and interests; among them was woodworking. Not only could he build just about anything from doll cradles to finely crafted furniture, he could truly fix just about anything and everything and he was known to be the “fix-it man.”
Among his many accomplishments and attributes were his tremendous work ethic and ability to do anything that he put his mind to. Ron was privileged and honored to serve as one of the test engineers for the first NASA Apollo mission.
Later he worked as a mechanic for Beech Aircraft. While working at Beech Aircraft, he received acknowledgement as being “one of eight, from 362 Beechcrafters, who have served Beech Aircraft Corp. for five years or more.” Ron was an engineer at Ball Aerospace, as well as a design engineer for Otis Elevator. In the early ’70s, Ron worked for the Department of the Interior Bureau of Mines.
In 1983 he and his wife Jeri purchased “The Store” in Lewellen, Nebraska, where he became famous for his homemade sausage and smoked pork chops. In addition to the grocery store, they put in a laundromat called “Suds and Duds.” In addition to being a successful local business owner, Ron presided as the mayor of Lewellen for several years as well.
After retiring, Ron focused his time on supporting his wife in ministry.
Ron always had a smile, or as his wife would say, a “smirk,” and will be missed by all.
Ron is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jeri; sons, Ron Soens Jr. and Lisa and Stephen Soens and Cheri Delgado; daughters, Stephanie Maflin and Tom, Tammy Ormsby and Jacob, Cheri Strawbridge and Michael, and Machel Gauthier and Gary; grandchildren, Dustin, Casey, Corey and Anthony Soens, Mason Delgado, Melissa, Sandra, Annalicia and Jonathan, Shawn and Zack, Nicholas and Robert, and Joshua and Ryan; great-grandchildren, Brooklyn, Mason, Abigail, Joshua, Madison, Landon, Rebekah, Hailey, Bryson, Nevaeh and Isabella; brothers-in-law, Fred Dally and Deb, Rick Dally and Lola, Jim Dally and Bev, and Bernie Dally and Jana; and sister-in-law, Pat Miller and Jim.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; and brother-in law, Allen Dally.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. at the Haxtun United Methodist Church, with Reverend Rick Dally officiating.
Baucke Funeral Home will direct the service.