Ronald Gilbert Herold, age 78 of Tomah, WI, passed away on April 22, 2019, at the Tomah VA Medical Center from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Prairie du Chien on March 10, 1941, the son of Marjorie (Peg) (nee Jones) and stepfather Orlyn Chunat, and the son of Gilbert Herold and stepmother Clara Herold (nee Olson).

Ron graduated from Prairie du Chien High School in 1959 where he was the leading rusher on the football team, a football team captain, and was named to the All Conference Football team.  He also played basketball and held track records for many years. He went on to the University of Iowa to play football before he served in the United States Coast Guard for six months. Ron then enrolled at Luther College in Decorah, IA, before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he graduated in business management. While at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Ron won a national doubles bowling championship with his teammate and also held multiple bowling records at the collegiate level-including a 300 series.

He married Mary Allen (Paulus) on January 24, 1967 in Madison, WI and welcomed four girls as his own: Rebecca Josephine, Anna Marie, Laura Lee, and Lisé Grayson.

Ron loved living in the woods with Mary at SHLAGS for many years. He also loved having family and friends around to enjoy inner tubing and canoeing on Robinson Creek, playing volleyball, snowmobiling, four-wheeling on the sand dunes and shooting trap and skeet. There were a lot of laughs during fall deer hunting when Ron would deliver Mary’s famous chocolate chip cookies to the rest of the hunters. He and Mary also hosted trout fishing opener. Ron enjoyed boating, water-skiing, and camping with his family when they were young.

Ron spent his professional career in the La Crosse, WI, area working at Mobile Corporation, The Trane Company, and FoxMeyer Corporation, before retiring to the woods of Jackson County.

He will be remembered for his kindness, his sense of humor and his love of nature. Ron was gracious to everyone and was a true gentleman. He always thought of others before thinking of himself. Family was the most important thing to him.

Ron is survived by his wife, Mary of Onalaska, WI; his children: Rebecca Josephine (David Noffke) Herold of Holmen, WI, Anna Marie Herold of Onalaska, WI, Laura Lee Jones of Shawnee, KS, and Lisé Grayson (Dale) Freking of Inver Grove Heights, MN; his grandchildren: Ryan (Grete) Blum, Alexandria Schanke (Ross Holt), Hailee (Matt) Buehler, Eden Fridlington, Grayson Freking, Gabriella Freking, and Gianna Freking; and great-grandchildren Elsa and Elin Blum; his brothers and sisters: Gary (Janet) Herold, Bruce (Cynthia) Herold, Linda (Clark) Wanlass, Marsha Smith, Gregory (Patricia) Herold, and Brent (Amy) Herold; and many nieces and nephews.

Ron was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Chunat; his father, Gilbert Herold; his stepmother, Clara Herold; his stepfather, Orlyn Chunat; his brother-in-law, Kenneth Smith; his half-brother Michael Chunat; and his nephew, Brian Ronald Herold.

The family would like to thank the Tomah VA Medical Center in Tomah, WI, for their loving care of Ron.

A Celebration of Life will be at the Coulee Region Cremation Group of Onalaska, on Sunday, April 28, 2019, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, located at 133 Mason Street, Onalaska, WI. There will not be a burial service.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be given to the Tomah VA Medical Center or to the Parkinson’s Foundation (online at www.parkinson.org):

Tomah VA Medical Center
500 East Veterans Street
Attn: Voluntary Service (135) for Hospice and Palliative Care
Tomah, WI  54660
(608) 372-1727

Parkinson’s Foundation
200 SE 1st Street
Suite 800
Miami, FL 33131