Ron Engst

RON ENGST May 6, 1941 - July 10, 2014 Ron Engst was born on May 6, 1941 at the Midway Hospital in St. Paul, MN to Tony and Helen Engst. As a small boy his family moved to Clarissa, MN where Ron attended public school and graduated from the Clarissa High School with the Class of 1959. On October 23, 1960, Ron was united in marriage to Ellie Stork in Bertha, MN. This marriage was blessed with three sons. In June of 1960, Ron entered the United States Army where he was stationed in Ulm, Germany during the building of the Berlin Wall and was also patrolling on a troop ship during the Cuban Missle Crisis in waters off Cuba. He received his honorable discharge in 1963, and returned to his young wife back in Minnesota. They moved to Ortonville, MN where Ron gained employment working as a meat cutter for the Red Owl Grocery Store. In February of 1964, the Engst family moved to Hector, MN where Ron worked for his parents in the Red Owl Grocery Store. In June of 1966, Ron began a new career working in the insurance industry for a local agency in Hector. In August of 1969, Ron began working for the First National Insurance Agency in Wadena where he enjoyed serving the community until July of 1979 when he moved to Park Rapids and began his own agency, Itasca Region Insurance, which is still operated by his son, Jim to this day. Ron has always been active in his community. For ten years he was involved as an adult leader with the Cub and Boy Scout programs. He received the District Award of Merit from the Pine Tree District Central MN Council. Ron had served as an officer of three churches, Kiwanis, Lions and the Square Dancers. He also enjoyed investing his time in the lives of grandchildren and great grandchildren; the rest of his family and his friends. He loved the great out doors and especially enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons, (in fact he had just spent two weeks camping and fishing with his sons and grandsons) playing cards and singing church praise worship music. He also had many great memories of square dancing with Ellie as a member of the Park Rapids Squares and he deeply enjoyed his many friends there. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife for these past 54 years, Ellie of Park Rapids; his three sons: Lance (Katie) Engst of Nevis, John Engst of New Ulm, MN and Jim (Melody) Engst of Park Rapids; eleven dearly loved grandchildren and thirteen precious great grandchildren; his sister, Janice (Arvid) Ward of Hector, MN; many nieces and nephews as well as other relatives and friends. Ron was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at the Assembly of God Church in Park Rapids with the Reverend Tim Wilson, Reverend Art Wood and Reverend Maynard LaVallie officiating. The active casket bearers will be: Art Burns, Bert Gjovik, Charlie Kilmer, Randy Meech, Terry Nelson, Don Nilson and Jerry Wilcox. The honorary casket bearers will be his fellow graduates from the Clarissa Highschool Class of 1959, and his dear square dancing friends. Military honors will follow the service and be conducted by the Star Of The North Marine Corps League under the direction of David Free and Ray Vaadeland will play taps. To view the video tribute or to leave on line condolences please visit www.jonespearson.com