Ronald Fred Mortenson, 94, of Cherokee passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Accura Nursing Home in Cherokee.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 23, at 10:30 a.m. at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, located at 207 E. Main St. Pastor John Wesley U. Shungu will officiate. Burial will be in Liberty Township Cemetery, north of Meiden. Visitation with the family present will be held on Sunday afternoon, March 22, from 2-4 p.m. at Boothby Funeral Home. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to Larrabee United Methodist or Cherokee Regional Hospice.
Ron was born on Aug. 20,1931, to Wilfred Charles and Eva Mae (Rasmus) Mortenson. He was the youngest of four siblings. He lived on a Century Farm four miles west of Larrabee. The farm was purchased by his grandfather, Swen Mortenson, in 1880. Ron attended a country school one mile west of the farm and graduated from Meriden High School in 1949.
On Feb. 27, 1952, Ron married Mable Nielsen at Carmel Lutheran Church in Marcus. They lived on the Century Farm where they raised five children: Douglas, Donald, Harlan, Lee and Nancy. They were married eight days short of their 52nd wedding anniversary when Mable passed away on Feb. 19, 2004. Ron married Donna Glasson on June 1, 2008. They were married 17 years.
Ron was drafted into the Army in 1952. He turned 21 on the ship going to Korea. He was a Sergeant when he left the Army.
Ron operated a grade A automated milk facility with his brother, Royce, from 1965-1986. They farmed 420 acres in addition to milking 75 purebred Holsteins and had one of the most automated dairy setups in this part of the country at that time. They sold over 6,000 pounds of milk every other day to Wells Blue Bunny in Le Mars.
Ron enjoyed restoring wrecked cars for over 25 years. The cars were like new when completed. Everyone in the family had one or more of his cars in their lifetime.
Ron decided to ride RAGBRAI, the week-long bike ride across Iowa, from 1993 until 2013. In 2013, another rider dropped a water bottle and stepped directly in front of Ron's bike causing Ron to flip and hit his head and crack his pelvis. Ron said he never got to eat pie that year, which was one of his favorite foods. The first year Ron rode with Mable’s cousin’s husband, Morn Bonsettter. The following years he rode with his sons, Douglas and Harlan, and his grandkids, Morgan, Cooper, Ron and Ron's wife, Apryl, and Mitchell and his wife, Jenna. The accident ended his RAGBRAI career. Ron enjoyed spending winters in Texas with Donna for over 10 years. He continued to ride in Texas every winter totaling about 6K miles.
Ron is lovingly remembered by his wife, Donna; and his three sons and daughter: Douglas (Patty) Mortenson of Maple Grove, Minn.; Harlan (Jayne) Mortenson of Des Moines; Lee Mortenson of Seymour, Mo.; and Nancy (Aaron) Woltman of Cherokee. He is survived by nine grandchildren: Dana (Chris) O’Connell, Angie (Travis) Benner, Mitchell (Jenna) Mortenson, Ronald (Apryl) Mortenson, Morgan (Denise) Mortenson, Riley (Nick) Barnes, Cooper Mortenson, Sydney Woltman and Jared Woltman. He had 13 great-grandchildren. He had three stepchildren: Jim (Kathleen) Glasson of West Branch; Karla (James) Musick of Blair, Neb.; and Dawn (Jim) Coury of Omaha, Neb. He had 10 step grandchildren and 16 step great-grandchildren and all his nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Mable Mortenson in 2004; a son, Donald Mortenson in 1999; his sisters, Deloris Divivi and Janet Davis; brother Royce Mortenson; and his parents, Wilfred and Eva Mortenson.
Ron was a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and will truly be missed by all those whose lives he touched.
