Date of Birth:
Saturday, October 27, 1945
Date of Death:
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
Age:
75 years old

Ronald James Scheid

Ronald James Scheid peacefully passed away Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in Rochester, MN, after a long journey with dementia. He was born October 27, 1945 in New Ulm, Minnesota, to Louise and Lawrence Scheid. Ron was a Boy Scout in his early life, enjoying the outdoors, swimming, camping and achieved the highest honor of Eagle Scout award.

Ron attended Mankato State University, striving towards an education degree, before pivoting to his first career in the grocery business. Most importantly during his time in school, he met Janet Johnson, where they began dating and married August 26, 1967.  After school, Ron attended Army basic training in Texas, before returning home to continue his career and life with Jan while working at the Red Owl grocery store chain. During the 1970’s, Ron and Jan’s family grew with their daughter, Kari, and son, Tim. They relocated several times while Ron managed and led the opening of new Red Owl stores. One memorable and life changing store location was Dickinson, North Dakota, where the family lived around 1977, enjoying Theodore Rosevelt National Park and the Medora musical nearby; creating lifelong friendships in the western North Dakota plains.  During his Red Owl career, Ron won the Red Owl President’s Award as top employee of the year three times.  Ron was a store manager for many years, which finally led the family to Rochester, Minnesota in 1980. During these years, Jan continued her teaching career, focused on pre-school age children, while Ron advanced his work in the grocery business.

In 1988, Ron left the grocery industry, took a leap of faith, and followed his passion to open The Steinhaus & Home Team Sports retail store at Apache Mall. His family and close friends worked there for many years, with the store eventually relocating to Miracle Mile Shopping Center. Ron loved to interact with his customers and continued to forge deep relationships over the years, knowledgeable of all things around beer steins, breweriana collectables, glassware, sports, clothing and NASCAR. Uniquely, he also shared retail space and precious time with Jan, with her embroidery small business. In his spare time, Ron enjoyed yardwork (maintaining a lush green lawn!), and travelling, going on several Carnival cruises with family and friends as well as road trips out West, many in the 1979 station wagon! One trip in particular, the family got on the road and Ron suggested immediately we needed to stop one exit down the road for a meal…good plan by Ron, avoiding the ice chest dinner! 🙂

After Ron’s time with the Steinahus, he transitioned into other interests that allowed him to spend more time with his growing family, including grandchildren Maren and Ethan (Kari Kaehn) and Caroline, Emily and Ingrid (Tim and Laura Scheid).

Ron was an active volunteer with several civic organizations and on boards and committees.  Notably, he became very involved with the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors Network, part of the Olmsted Outreach, after an episode in 2009. He served as Treasurer for several years and campaigned for the use of AEDs and CPR instruction. He was also an active volunteer mentoring at-risk youth with the Rochester YMCA, a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, a decades long member of the local Lions Club Chapter, President of Miracle Mile Shopping Center’s Chamber of Commerce, Bethel Lutheran’s weekly Coffee and a Prayer, Bible study, organizing clothing drives and in-person delivering to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, as well as a mission trip to Puerto Rico. He also worked at McDonalds where he continued to use his strong and dedicated customer focused work ethic mentoring youth getting started in their careers.  Above anything, Ron lived life in a ‘Family First’ way, living these values and leading by example for his family and the world.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Barbara Scheid (Olson). He is survived by his wife, children, and his sisters Betty and Mary.

The family is very grateful for Ron’s excellent and compassionate care provided by the staff at Cottagewood Senior Communities as well as Heartland Hospice.

Celebration of Life service will be held Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at 11:00 AM at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 10, from 4 – 7pm in River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home, and for one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest  Survivors Network (www.mnscasurvivor.net), or to the Ronald McDonald House of Rochester (850 2nd. Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902 or https://www.rmhmn.org/ )