Ron was a farmer. He started at a young age working with and for his father Harold. Ron and Harold primarily raised corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. Many meals were shared in the fields during harvest time over the years. Ron was active in FFA and was named Nebraska State Star Farmer in 1970 and was awarded the American Farmer degree in 1973. Later in life, Ron went to work for Nebraska Pump as their Richie Waterer Salesman. In this role, Ron traveled the state, sold a lot of cattle waterers and made a bunch of friends.
Ron was a Christian. Ron was a member of First United Methodist Church in Waverly and later Cross The Line Church in Lincoln. Ron committed his life to Christ through adult baptism on September 17, 2017. He loved Sunday School Class and being a “Story Teller” at Cross The Line. Ron always had a heart full of kind words, and pockets full of little gifts to give to those that crossed his path.
Ron was a member of Comet Lodge #229, A.F. & A.M. in Ceresco and the Masonic Lodge Scottish Rite in Lincoln. Ron was a lifelong outdoorsman, spending many a day in the field and on the water. He loved taking his son and grandkids fishing and driving around the farm looking for deer sheds and bigfoot prints.
Ron was a husband, father, family man. Ron met the love of his life, Karen Mintzmyer in high school; they married August 8th, 1971. Ron and Karen had three kids: Emily, Greg and Megan. Ron loved going to church with his family and coaching his kids’ basketball teams. Ron loved doing small things and big things for family and friends. He loved having coffee with his mother, Carol, and talking about the goings on at the farm. Ron often spoke about how blessed he was to have such good grandkids. He loved to say that “Kids are the best crop you can raise.” In the end it was his loving wife, Karen by his side. Ron wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He would often say that he was the luckiest guy in the world to be married to such a feisty German. Karen and Ron were inseparable for 53 years.
Ron is survived by his beloved wife, Karen (Mintzmyer); children Gregory Leroy (Susan) Anderson of Lander, WY, Emily (Josh) Shown of Dover, DE, and Megan (Mitchell) Frye of Waverly; mother Carol Arlene Taylor Anderson; sisters Gail Anderson and Gloria (Roger) Wohlers, all of Lincoln; and grandchildren McCaden Leroy (Chrissy) and Adelyn Anderson, Alex and Taylor Shown, Easton, Gage, and Nolan Frye. He was preceded in death by his father, Harold Leroy Anderson, and infant brother, Donald.
Ron’s life was a testament to faith, hard work, generosity, and love—he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Visitation with family on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at Roper’s 4300 ‘O’ Street in Lincoln, NE.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Cross the Line Church, 5925 Adams St., Lincoln, NE.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Cross the Line Church in Ron’s honor.