Ronald E. Evans

RONALD ELLIOTT EVANS was born on January 14, 1953 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Gerald and Ruth (Moore) Evans. Ron was raised on the farm and grew up working and tending to the animals and farm chores. During his school years he was involved in 4-H and FFA. He graduated from Pipestone High School in Pipestone, Minnesota in 1972. He then furthered his education at Minnesota West Technical College and completed the carpentry program. Ron went to work at Great Plains Lumberyard for a short time and then at Bayliner Marine. On February 7, 1976, Ron married Gloria Schneekloth at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, Minnesota. Shortly after their marriage, Ronald went into farming. He started farming on the homeplace, and then spent a year in the Hardwick, Minnesota area. The couple then settled on an acreage south of Pipestone, where Ron milked cows for over 25 years and crop farmed. He would eventually get into stock cows with his son, Kyle. He continued farming with his son, while also working full-time for Gorter Clay and Dairy in 2006. On July 19, 2022, Ronald died peacefully at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls at the age of 69 years, 6 months, and 5 days.

Ron was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone. He enjoyed mowing his lawn the “right way” and driving his Ranger with his dog by his side. He also enjoyed helping his kids show animals at the Pipestone County Fair. Ron’s passion in life was farming and his love of animals. They were a huge part of his life. He believed it was part of our role on earth to take care of God’s creatures. One of Ron’s favorite sayings was that “God has a plan. Everything happens for a reason and it will work out.”

Ronald is survived by his wife, Gloria of Pipestone; children, Paul Evans of Holland, Minnesota, Angela (Anthony) Iverson of Slayton, Minnesota, Christopher (Shelby) Evans of Pipestone, and Kyle (Kathryn) Evans also of Pipestone; ten grandkids, Kodi (special friend, Kyle), Nakia, Mason, Zoey, Luke, Adam, Bryer, Brooklyn, Bria, and Eli; two great-grandkids, Oaklynn and Huxlee; and his K-9 companions, Millie, Puddles, and Daisy; 11 siblings, Kathryn Vogh of Tower, Minnesota, Ray (Ginny) Evans of Pipestone, Minnesota, Lucille “Lucy” (Jim) Klein of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, Barbara (Gary) Jopp of Pennock, Minnesota, Bonnie Sexton of Jaynesville, Minnesota, Mary (Gary) Anderson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jim (Mary Ann) Evans of Pipestone, Janelle (Randy) Gorter of Parkersburg, Iowa, Dennis (Jennifer) Evans of Jasper, Minnesota, Joyce Crawford of Brandon, South Dakota, and Jerry (Ruth) Evans of Pipestone; and one brother-in-law, Ron Raatz of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his sister, Geraldine Raatz; parents, Gerald and Ruth Evans; parents-in-law, Lester and Norma Schneekloth; brothers-in-law, Victor Vogh, Steven Sexton, Brian Crawford, Steven Schneekloth, and John Schneekloth; and K-9 companions.