Ronald "Ron" Hellie

Ronald Eugene Hellie was born in Pipestone, Minnesota in 1942 to his parents, Kelmar and Wanda (Booth) Hellie.

Ron had horses to ride since the age of five. He was a farm kid but did not go to country school because his Dad owned a school bus. At about the age of 14 he added a Cushman scooter to his rides. In high school at Pipestone he was very involved in the car club "The Shifters". He had a customized '54 Chevy with a fancy paint job and loud mufflers and then a hot Pontiac, he even raced go carts in Sioux Falls for a while. Ron worked with his Dad, Kelmar, with crops, cattle, hogs and sheep. He baled a lot of hay and had an automatic cattle feeder for the feeder cattle, cows and calves. He worked part time all through high school at Wilson's Men's Clothing on Main Street Pipestone.

Ron graduated from Pipestone High School in 1960 and went into the Minnesota Army National Guard. He attended basic training in Fort Leonardwood and Fort Ord. He was trained in Heavy Weapons, Infantry and Radio. He was a decorated (Rifle M-1) sharpshooter. He was in the Guards for 9.5 years. Ron came home and began his career in farming. Ron was married to Karen Tobias on April 20, 1963. In 1968, they bought their own farm in Sweet Township on Hwy 30. Ron and Karen worked hard and played hard. Over the years, they loved to dance, snowmobile, motorcycle, camp in their 5th wheel, take road trips to the west and south, take vacations in the winter, and he co-coached 4H Softball. They raised Palomino foals, all horses of quality. They showed Palomino horses first with daughter, Erin and then just the two of them.

Ron and Karen had three children, Rhonda, Brian, and Erin. They enjoyed their sports and band activities. The whole family worked and played together. When the kids went off to college, things got quieter, so Ron had to show horses for himself. Karen tagged along and took care of the details.

After Ron retired from farming he worked for Pipestone Veterinary with cattle, hauled pigs from one barn to another, and worked at Double D Gravel for 22 years. Early on he drove truck for Larson Trucking. Ron was well respected for his hard work, his skills, and his funny sense of humor. His love was raising cattle and horses. As in the old Norwegian tradition, each one got an extra scoop of feed on Christmas Eve. Ron was a member of AQHA since the 1940's and Palomino Horse Breeders Assn. since the 1970's.

He and Karen would track down an old barn, and with permission, tear old boards off. With those boards and some old used horseshoes which he cleaned up, he made many, many "Welcome" signs, selling them everywhere and gave lots of them away.

Ron and Karen started as a couple at age 15, and went together all through high school and married in 1963. Ron was a survivor from bladder cancer and acute colitis. At age 82 he was diagnosed with Alzheimers. They were strong together through it all and with the help of their three kids, good friends, and Almighty God they made it to the end.

Ron entered the care of the Pipestone Hospice House and passed away peacefully there on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at the age of 83.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Karen of Pipestone; children, Rhonda (Mark) Winter, Brian (friend, Gina Johnson) Hellie, and Erin (Jim) Schroeder; and four grandchildren, Drew (Ewelina) Winter, Madi (friend, Tylr Codr) Winter, Cole Schroeder, and Katelyn Schroeder. He was preceded in death by an infant son; his parents, Kelmar and Wanda; Karen's parents, Cecil and Lucille (Bradfeldt) Tobias; Karen's stepfather, Stan Lodahl; his grandparents, Ole and Mable (Remme) Hellie, and Frank and Nellie (Barnum) Booth; one sister, Linda (Hellie) Johansen; and one sister-in-law, Bette (Tobias) Watts.