Ronald “Ron” E. Schaefer, 75, Richmond

April 1, 1948 - August 29, 2023

Ronald “Ron” Schaefer went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at the St. Cloud Hospital Surrounded by family. Ron was born on April 1, 1948 to Edmund and Betty Schaefer in St. Cloud, MN. He was a 1966 graduate of Cathedral High School. After high school, Ron enlisted in the U.S. Army and was schooled in electronic communications. He served in the Panama Canal after which he served in the Vietnam War; spending most of his tour in the Mekong Delta with advisory teams. Ron always considered himself one of the lucky ones to come back from that war. He was honorably discharged in 1969.

Ron was also a graduate of St. Cloud Vocational School, where he completed both electrical and drafting courses. Ron lived and worked for the most part in the St. Cloud area at various jobs. In 1978 Ron and his brother Bob purchased a very small business from their father. They worked hard together and through perseverance and dedication grew that local small business into Schaefer Ventilation Equipment; doing business nationwide with hundreds of dealers selling their ventilation equipment in a number of different industries. During that time, Ron was awarded several patents which helped the business to grow and expand into different markets. In 2000 Ron and Bob decided to sell the business in order for it to be taken to the next level. Ron retained partial ownership in the business until it was once again sold in 2015. That once small local business started by their father now does business internationally.

Ron married his wife, his best friend Darlene on December 2, 2000. They moved from St. Cloud up to the Brainerd lakes area where they lived in a few different locations. Ron was the type of person that could not just sit around doing nothing and let time pass by. Certainly, being too young to retire, Ron and Darlene started a business called Little Pine Properties. It was a residential and commercial development business. They continued to operate this business for several years until both of them decided to wind things down and do some traveling in their motorhome. Ron was the driver and Darlene was the navigator. They enjoyed spending part of the winter in Texas where they both enjoyed country dancing. Dancing was fine, but they both decided they needed some sort of mission to help other people less fortunate. That is when they got involved with the Hill Country Youth Ranch for abused and abandoned children. They donated their time and finances to furnish clothing for the many children living at the ranch. They spent a number of years involved in this mission. Their travels also included going out west in the fall to Utah and Colorado. Both Ron and Darlene enjoyed going off-roading in their jeep on the mountain roads exploring and enjoying Gods creations and hopefully catching a trout or two in a stream they found along the way.

Ron also filled a lot of his spare time in his workshop. He enjoyed making children’s wooden toy boxes and built several dozens of them, which were donated to a number of different charities in both Texas and Minnesota. When he wasn’t busy building toy boxes or some project for Darlene, he made toy wooden cars for children which were donated to a charity in Mexico. Ron and Darlene both believed that their good fortune and success in life was a gift from God and needed to be shared with other people less fortunate.

In 2022, Ron and Darlene decided to settle down in Richmond, MN, a town where his father was born and raised. They enjoyed having a cabin on the Horseshoe chain of lakes where they could go fishing and have campfires. Ron continued to enjoy doing different projects in his workshop as well as working in the yard and feeding the many birds. Ron and Darlene decided to find another mission in life to help less fortunate people. They decided to get involved with the Salvation Army in St. Cloud where they provided clothing for the emergency shelter. Ron and Darlene would purchase new clothing and clothing at thrift stores which were made available to many people in need.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents Edmund and Betty Schaefer. He is survived by his loving wife, Darlene and two sons David and Nathan from a previous marriage. Also surviving him are his brother Bob and sisters Sandra, Barbara, and Brenda. At Ron’s request there will not be any memorial service. His cremated remains will be dispersed according to his wishes.