Ronald Randklev

Ronald Martin Randklev, 87, of Grand Marais, formerly of White Bear Lake, passed away peacefully September 5, 2015. Ron will always be remembered as a devoted husband to his sweetheart Arlene for 62 years. Ronald was very proud when 3M honored him with its Technical Achievement Award and Innovator of the Year Award for his research work developing polymer materials that help create the multi billion-dollar 3M dental products division. In layman language these innovations included the white dental filling mixture that was harder and safer than silver fillings. He merited 19 international patents for his work. In the 50's and early 60's Ron also worked with a team of chemists to help solve the filtering and cleaning of rocket fuel used in the Atlas Missile Project; which later sent the first Americans to the moon. He was born and raised in Crookston, Minnesota. He always spoke of those days with deep affection and also with great respect and appreciation for The People of the White Earth Indian Reservation where he hunted and dreamed and fished as a boy with his friends. He was a graduate of Bemidji State University with degrees in Chemistry. He served in the Army Air Corps during the Korean War, where he was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, and worked in a research laboratory on top-secret projects with former WWII German and American scientists.

When Ron retired, he lived north of Grand Marais on Lake Superior for more than 20 years where he fished for lake trout, groomed his organic food garden and their acre of flowers with his wife Arlene. He was home again in Northern Minnesota, the land of his birth, absorbing himself in nature.

Ron invested his whole life into creating and finishing projects; whether at work or at home, he was an industrious and creative man. He was a quiet man, brim full of ideas. He was an impeccable man, who observed what most people never see, when looking at the ordinary. Ron suffered in the last years of his life with Alzheimer's disease. But he never lost that smile, that wink, that determination to go on. "Ohh," he'd say every day of his life, "That's Beautiful!" Ron's life was filled with angels as he slowly faded with Alzheimer's disease. They are Rose Adair, Karin Adams, Vicki Nelson, Max Nelson, Pamela Jeans, Mary Lou Schultz and Jim Broede for his miles and miles and miles of walks and talks with Ron. And thanks to Dr. Alvin Holm, Dr. Matt Logan and his hospice team Rachel and Michelle, and Dr. Jose Bernard, and the entire Salvation Army Day Care Center of Maplewood with unheralded love from Pam and Andrea and their gifted staff. For the past year of Ron's life, we'll forever praise the leadership and staff of Arthur's Residence of Roseville. The respect, acceptance and embracing of Ron from Deb, Kate, Keturah, Emily, Anna, Eden, Amy, Brittney, Renata, Katie, Allison, Rina, Ashley, Christina, Alli, Lauren, Maria, Stephanie, and Jamie will always be a treasured gift. We called it Ron's Shangri La. Ron is survived by his two daughters, Julie (Richard Leepart) Randklev and Mary Murray; four grandchildren, Dax Leepart, Kelsey (Patrick) Valdez, of San Antonio Texas, Katherine (Mark) Feitz, of Kansas City, MO, and Patrick Murray, of New York City; three great grandchildren, Gabriella Valdez and her brother Kaden James Valdez, and new grandson Henrik Alexander Feitz. Ron is also survived by two brother-in-laws, Arvid Mathias (Clarella Benett) Dalby and Raymond Leroy (Polly Rose) Dalby. Ron is preceded in death by his wife Arlene, his father Norman, his mother Olga, and brother in laws, Melvin Sigrid Dalby and John P. Tucker; sisters in law, Marie Olivia Tucker and Fern Jeanette Dalby and his best dog ever, Peaches.

A memorial service in remembrance of Ron will be held October 2 at 10 am at Mattson Funeral Home, Forest Lake, Minnesota, 55025.

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Funeral Home: Mattson Funeral Home 343 North Shore Drive Forest Lake, MN US 55025

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Previous Events

Visitation
Friday, October 2, 2015
Service
Friday, October 2, 2015

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