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Ralph Wilbur Colrud

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Ralph, 93, Sun City West, AZ, passed away November 27, 2020. He was born in Rosholt, WI, March 17, 1927 to Mynert and Othilda (Tillie) Colrud.
He graduated from Rosholt High School and Luther College, Decorah, IA with a degree in business administration. His college years were interrupted by World War II where he served in the Navy as a hospital corpsman.
Following graduation, he joined his father in the family business, Colrud Farm Supply in Rosholt. After his father retired Ralph expanded the business with fleets of trucks used to fertilize his customers’ farms, brokering their grain out of Chicago and expanding the operation to include grain elevators and farm supply in a neighboring county. Ralph spent 40 years in that business, retiring in 1989.
He married Ethel Mae Olson in 1948. She preceded him in death in 1998. Also preceding him were his parents, two sisters, Marie Gunther and Adeline Hall, and a brother, Jerome. He is survived by sons, David and Daniel, Rosholt, WI, daughter, Sandra, Madison, WI and his wife, Jane Vesy Colrud whom he married in 2001.
Ralph was a loving father and a generous and peaceful man with a smile He was proud of his Norwegian heritage and always had an Ole and Lena joke ready. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Rosholt, WI, and associate member of Crown of Life Lutheran Church, Sun City West, AZ. He was a Rotarian, golfing member of Briarwood Country Club, Sun City West, AZ, and active member of the Summer Residents Association, Estes Park, CO, where he summered for the last 19 years and was an avid hiker.
During his business years he was active with the Lions Club, board member of the Rosholt Village School District, council member of Faith Lutheran Church, and board member of the Wisconsin Feed and Seed Association.
Ralph volunteered with the Visually Handicapped and the Lutheran Thrift Shop both in Sun City, AZ, where he jokingly said he moved furniture for 10 years until he said his back gave out.
Ralph and Jane did extensive world traveling enjoying adventures both with tours and also alone.
Ralph was a generous man. He and two nieces formed a scholarship for the Valedictorian of Rosholt High School, Rosholt, WI. and Ralph and his first wife, Ethel, formed a scholarship at Luther College, Decorah, IA. They also provided for an Endowment Mission Fund at Faith Lutheran Church, Rosholt, WI.
Published in a recent newsletter from the care center where Ralph was living, I will quote Ralph: “the key is to be a good person at heart. That will determine how you will treat your wife.” That was Ralph’s motto for life.
Ralph will be interned at the Alban Lutheran Church Cemetery in Rosholt, WI. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Voie Funeral Home, Iola, WI.