Ronald Virgil Rask, beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully at his home in West Salem, Wisconsin, on September 14, 2025, at the age of 63.

Born on June 16, 1962, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ron was the cherished son of Raymond and Liela (Olafson) Rask. He spent his childhood growing up in La Crescent, Minnesota.

In 1981, he married his first wife, Rhonda (Nimmo) Olson, with whom he welcomed two daughters, Jeri and Amber. They later divorced. In 1993, Ron married his soulmate and love of his life Phyllis (Miller) Rask. Together, they shared 32 wonderful years and were blessed with a son, Gunnar. Phyllis’s loving presence remained by his side throughout their life together up until his passing.

A dedicated and hardworking man, Ron went to truck driving school in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin where he obtained his CDL training and license and spent a majority of his career working for Badger Corrugating as a truck driver for 26 years before his well-earned retirement.

Ron loved being in the outdoors. He spent a lot of time fishing on his boat and hunting for deer. For a number of years, he participated in a couple’s bowling league. He found joy in growing and tending to his tropical plants and feeding the birds. For two decades, he was a member of Delaney Fireworks and Above and Beyond Pyrotechnics where he helped put on memorable firework shows for communities around the La Crosse area. Ron also enjoyed traveling, with fun trips to Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. If you ever needed a good laugh or a wild story, Ron was your guy. He had a way of lighting up the room—sometimes literally, thanks to his fireworks hobby—and his jokes and fish tales were the stuff of family legend (and probably got more dramatic every year). If you wandered into his garage, where he’d spend hours fixing things, you’d find five of every tool and him listening to one of his favorite 80’s hair band songs.

Ron’s legacy lives on in those he cherished and left behind: his devoted wife, Phyllis Rask; daughters Jeri (James) Rask and Amber (Steve) Rasmussen; son Gunnar Rask; sister Judith (Robert) Schulze; grandchildren Jordyn (Tacoma) Matthews, Makenna Rasmussen, Cooper Rasmussen, Ellie Rasmussen, Ariane Mount; great-grandchildren Maverick and Serenity; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Liela Rask, and his nephew, Randall ‘Randy’ Brummer.

Ron’s life was cut short, but he will be remembered for his heart of steel but was really a teddy bear and his adventurous spirit. His presence will be deeply missed, but the memories he created will be treasured forever.

Thank you to everyone in the General Medicine Department at Emplify by Gundersen for taking such great care of him during his recent two week stay. The staff was incredibly friendly and caring, and it really meant a lot to us.

A memorial service to honor Ron’s life will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at The Gathering Place, 133 Mason St, Onalaska, Wisconsin. Visitation will start at 5:00pm with a service from 6:00pm to 6:30pm and visitation to follow the service where you can share a memory or a few words about Ron. Light refreshments will be served.  Pastor Matt Toso will officiate.  Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family.