Ross D. Handahl, 64, St. Cloud

April 9, 1953 - May 18, 2017

Memorial services will be at 11AM Monday, May 22, 2017 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud for Ross Handahl, age 64, of St. Cloud who passed away peacefully on Thursday at the St. Cloud Hospital. Visitation will be Sunday May 21, 2017 from 4-8PM at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in St. Cloud and also one hour prior to services Monday at the church.

Ross was born April 9, 1953 in Willmar to Donald and R. Joann (Estrem) Handahl. He attended Willmar High School and received his Bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, which he was proud to call his and his three daughters’ alma mater. He met the love of his life, Marcia Wulf, at age 17, on a bus to the Luther League National Convention in New York City. They have been inseparable ever since. His true love and adoration for Marcia shined throughout his life, only growing with time. The couple was married on June 25, 1977 at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar. Ross was co-owner and operator of Agency 128 and a devoted member of Atonement Lutheran Church.

Ross had many passions in life, with his family topping that list. He was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and son before anything else. His love for his family was paramount. He took great pride in his family and never failed to tell them. Ross looked up to his dad as a great influence in his life, from whom he learned the values of devotion and respect. He loved listening to his father’s stories and called him every Friday for 35 years.
Ross had a passion for golf which was the source of cherished camaraderie, endless friendships, cutthroat competition, and many monetary winnings from his buddies. Ross was a true Minnesotan—he grew up on the lake and loved being on the water. He was an incredible water skier, both slalom and barefoot. His every joy was sharing their cabin with family and watching them grow in their love for the lake, boating, water sports, and the precious Minnesota summer.

Ross was very passionate about music. He was a classic rock music buff, knew the band, the song, the year, the album, the lead singer, and where he saw them in concert. He truly appreciated Marcia’s beautiful piano and organ music.

Ross was a natural listener and a selfless man who treated others with patience and respect, bestowing his full attention upon whomever he was speaking to and ensuring they knew he was fully engaged—qualities that captured the hearts and touched the lives of many. He is lovingly missed and yet the peace of the Lord and his absence of pain is a blessing that we cannot begin to describe.

Survivors include his wife, Marcia; daughters, Sarah (Lucas) Ahlberg of Maple Grove, Stephanie (Ryan) Benson of Minnetonka, Stacie (Rob) Matuska of Plymouth; father, Don Handahl of Willmar; sisters, Holly (Scott) Ricker of Jupiter, FL and Heidi Anderson of Nashville, TN; grandchildren, Lincoln, Evan, and Lilah Ahlberg, Brooks and Brynn Benson, and Calvin Matuska. Ross was preceded in death by his mother, Joann (deceased on May 18, 2010, 7 years to the day prior to Ross) and brother, Mark.

Memorials are suggested to Atonement Lutheran Church Music Fund and the Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) Research Foundation.