Staples, MN - Ronald Leroy Anderson, 88, died Nov. 20, 2025, with family at his side at St. Cloud Hospital. He had been a patient there for six days after suffering a major stroke.

Ron, a proud Norseman who bled Packers green and gold, was born in June 1937 to Sidney and Frances (Zierden) Anderson in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

He spent most of his youth in Alexandria, Minnesota, where he excelled in high school sports. He attended St. John's University after graduating from Alexandria High School, competing in track and field and playing football for the legendary John Gagliardi, the winningest college football coach of all time. He also attended the University of North Dakota before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, where he served from 1958 to 1961. He was stationed at Ben Guerir Air Base in Morocco, serving in communications intelligence as part of the U.S. Strategic Air Command.

He married Joan Mary (McDonell) Anderson in October 1959 in Osakis, Minnesota. During three decades of marriage, the couple had 14 children and devoted themselves to raising their family.

Ron used the GI Bill to return to college and earned a bachelor's degree in 1974 in physical education, health and coaching from Mankato State College. A portion of his career included work as a Blue Earth County sheriff's deputy, manager of Pizza Hut in Mankato, and manager of the Horny Bull in Mankato, where he also booked live music, including noteworthy artists such as Paul Anka, Bobby Vinton and the Turtles. He served as a den leader for Cub Scouts, Bear Scouts, Wolf Scouts and Webelo's, and started a youth center in the early 1970s in St. Clair.

He lost his first wife, Joan, to cancer in 1989, a devastating period for Ron and the entire family. He later worked for Choice Plus, helping schools with fundraising efforts. Through that work he met his second wife, Jean (Larson) Anderson, whom he married in 1998. The couple eventually moved to northern Minnesota and built a home in Nisswa. Ron remained active as a volunteer grandpa and tutor for Brainerd Middle School for more than a decade.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Frances (Zierden) Anderson; his first wife, Joan (McDonell) Anderson; parents-in-law John and Frances (Kukowski) McDonell; sister-in-law Dorothy (McDonell) Bjorklund; aunt Connie Zierden; and three great-grandchildren: Zoey, Koleton and Carter.

He is survived by his second wife, Jean (Larson) Anderson; brother Richard Anderson; 14 children: Mark Anderson (Anne), Sue Kim (Daeho), Doug Anderson (Nancy), Joe Anderson (Mary), Steve Anderson, Keith Anderson (Diana), Karla Luedke (Wayne), Peter Anderson, Dan Anderson (Darcy), Val Lienke (Brian), Jill Anderson, KJ Detjen (Randy), Paula Theissen (Brian) and Michael Anderson (Kim); brothers-in-law Jim McDonell (Linda) and Ken Bjorklund. He also is survived by 22 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

A private burial at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Clair is planned for Dec. 5, 2025.