Ronald “Ron” Ulven

Ronald “Ron” Ulven went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.

Ronald Ainslee Ulven was born on September 16, 1938 at home near Dale, Minnesota. His parents were Kenneth and Thelma (Leverson) Ulven.  Ron attended a one-room rural school where he took 1^st and 2^nd grade in one year. In 6^th grade he moved into the “big” school in Hitterdal, MN, and graduated in 1955. He went to NDSC (NDSU) for four years graduating with a degree in Agricultural Education.  The same day he graduated from the ROTC program and was commissioned in the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant.

Ron took a job as assistant county agent in Jamestown, ND (Stutsman County) in the summer of l960. He met Deanna Askviken, a teacher, on October 1^st, and they were married June 18, 1961 in Northwood, ND. As an army reservist, Ron was called to active duty in November 1961 to serve as an officer with a Wisconsin division, after the Berlin Wall was built. Ron and Deanna moved to Fort Lewis, WA, where their first child (Richard) was born. After serving 10 months there, they were released and could go home to Minnesota.

He was employed by Grand Forks County in ND as county agent, and they moved to Grand Forks.  He was then offered his first job in banking in Jamestown. They moved there for the second time, where their daughter Kathryn was born. After three years, Ron took the job as assistant vice-president and loan officer at First National Bank in Crookston, MN, where their son Robert was born. Next came an invitation to be chief Ag Loan officer and vice-president at State Bank of Hawley, Hawley, MN, where he stayed for 30 years, retiring in 1999. A third son, Mark was born in 1976, making life even more busy for the family.

Ron was active on Chamber of Commerce, City council, rodeo committee, King Agassiz of the Crookston Winter shows (1972), Clay County Historical Society, State of MN 4-H  board, Clay County Fair Board, Hawley Jaycees, Lions, and American Legion. Hawley Lutheran Church was also very important to him, as he served as Council president, pipe organ committee and sang in the sanctuary choir for 50 years. He also sang in the original Hawley Centennial quartet. Ron and Deanna were also part of the Norwegian Folk Dancers, which performed at fund raisers for the Hjemkomst Viking ship, built in Hawley and sailed to Norway.

Ronald was diagnosed with AML (acute Myeloid Leukemia) in May 2017. He fought a courageous battle, even being in remission for 6 months. He is survived by his wife Deanna of 57 years, daughter Kathryn (Dan) Ulven Payne of Mooresville, NC, sons Richard (Kim) Ulven, Hawley; Robert (Trina) Ulven and Mark (Jennifer) Ulven both Big Lake, MN; Grandchildren Brianna (James) Kramvik, Andrew Ulven, Carly (Philip) Teeples, Alise, Ariel, & Ross Carlson, Natalie & Lauren Ulven, Tylan & Cal Ulven and 2 Great-Grandchildren Kallie and Sawyer Kramvik. He was preceded in death by his parents Kenneth & Thelma Ulven and sister Sandra Oldenburg.

A memorial gathering will be held Sunday, January 27^th with a visitation 5-7 P.M. and family service at 7:00 P.M. at Wright Funeral Home, Hawley, MN. A Celebration of Life will be 11:00 A.M. on Monday, January 28^th, at Hawley Lutheran Church.