Ronald M. Bergeson

SIOUX CITY -- Ronald Milo "Ron" Bergeson, 75, of Sioux City passed away Sunday, July 19, 2009, at Countryside Senior Living following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday, July 23, 2009 at First Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Chuck Wolff officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., a prayer service at 7 p.m. and a Masonic service at 7:30 p.m. conducted by the Morningside Lodge 615, at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Ronald Milo Bergeson was born Oct. 27, 1933, in Sioux City, to Mary and Milo B. Bergeson. He graduated from East High School in 1952. He entered the University of South Dakota until the military draft interfered. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 through 1957.

He was married to Leola Forbes in 1954. They had two sons, Bradley Jay and Rodney Alan. He married Donna Matheson on may 29, 1963.

He began his career as a cattle salesman in the Bergeson family Midwest Livestock Commission Company. In 1980, he opened a commodity trading office, which he managed until his retirement in 1996. He taught Behavior Modification School for the Siouxland Council on Alcoholism, then taught Drinker Driver School at Western Iowa Tech Community College for 16 years.

He was a member of the Morningside Lodge 615, Consistory and the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple. He was a member of the White Horse Mounted Patrol for 43 years and rode his white horse, Rebel, for 12 years. He was a member of the Elk Clubs and was active in the Little Yellow Dog organization. He was a friend of Bill W for the past 33 years. He volunteered in the Sioux City Drug Court Program. He was a past member of the Gordon Recovery Center's board, New Horizon's board and East High School Alumni scholarship board. He was a member of the Old Timer's Stockyards Group and enjoyed his afternoons with his gin-playing partners.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Donna; his son, Brad and his wife, Diane of Sioux City; his son, Rodney of Sioux Falls, S.D.; a daughter-in-law, Tami and her husband, Jeff Hurley of Worthing, S.D.; a daughter-in-law, Beth Bergeson of Sioux Falls; grandchildren, Brian, Katherine "Kate" and Elizabeth "Liz" of Sioux City, Christine and Bennett of Worthing, S.D., Daniel of Sioux Falls and Caroline McGuire of Altamonte Springs, Fla.; his brother, Robert "Bo" and his children, Milo, Susan Lynn, Sherri and Jill; a nephew, Troy; his brother-in-law, Del Matheson and his wife, Sandy and their son, Michael "Mike" and daughter, Jane and her husband Steve Bartunek of Lincoln, Neb., and their son, Scott and his wife, Margaret and their children, Scotty, Brian and John of Davisburg, Mich.; and Scott's daughter, Amber and her daughters, Kaleigh and Ava of Lincoln.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Katherine "Kay"; his parents; and many aunts and uncles.

Pallbearers will be Floyd Baber, Jeremiah Haig, Ken Carlson, Tom Clark, Dale Henningsen, Roger Jensen, Ted Lamoureux and Dan Moore.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family as they are establishing a scholarship fund in Ron's name for deserving East High School seniors.

We will miss our kind, generous, loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friends.