Ronald J. Leu

Ronald James Leu, age 75, slipped away peacefully on June 9, 2025, in a hospice house in Naples, Florida, with his daughters by his side.

Ron was born on January 8, 1950, to Roland and Ella Leu in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated from Murray High School in 1968 and went on to a computer tech school whose name no one can recall. And for good reason: Ron was never meant to sit idle in front of a computer.

In the 1970s and '80s, Ron was a commercial beekeeper in Hudson, Wisconsin, where he lived on an apiary with his family. He loved bee culture and delighted in sharing his knowledge (and honey) with others. In true Ron fashion, he once caught 20,000 swarming bees in a tree, while standing on a ladder in shorts and flip-flops. Beekeeping remained a lifelong passion; he later kept bees as a hobbyist and mentored his daughter Laura when she followed in his footsteps.

After hanging up his bee veil, Ron spent most of his career as Director of Sales for Jimmy's Salad Dressing — a job he genuinely loved. It kept him on the road across the Midwest, where he passed the miles learning Spanish from language CDs. He had an uncanny sense of direction (pre-GPS) and bragged about his spotless driving record after logging enough miles to reach the moon and back.

When he retired, Ron moved to Naples, Florida, where he found his people and played pickleball daily. He took pride in his thriving avocado and banana trees — happily sharing his bounty with neighbors — and had a particular knack for growing orchids. He was known for bringing shrimp cocktail or home-baked popovers to parties.

Ron loved his grandkids, fishing, history and nature documentaries, tacos, red licorice, and earnestly talking about the weather. He lived for a good storm — despite multiple hurricane threats in Florida, he never once evacuated.

Ron was a documentarian at heart. He left behind stacks of 8mm film, cassette tapes of his kids' toddler voices, and hours of VHS home videos. Long before YouTube (or even the internet), he made a series called "Wildlife Ron," in which he shared his observations on the animals and plants around him. He taught himself photography and took beautiful photos of the people and places he loved.

A lifelong learner who never met a hobby he didn't try, he was a proud numismatist with an impressive coin collection, built and flew model airplanes, collected stamps, operated drones, mounted butterflies, and treasure hunted with his metal detector. He loved aquariums and, over the years, kept a rotating cast of fish — from saltwater species to breeding angelfish to an ill-advised school of piranhas that once bit a chunk out of his finger.

Ron was a helper to his core. A jack of all trades, he never turned down a request. If you needed something fixed or a ride to the airport, you called Ron. His crowning glory was a magical playhouse he built for his grandkids out of a dilapidated old shed. He was endlessly resourceful and could find a solution to almost anything — except the pain he carried himself.

Ron struggled with alcohol use disorder. It never defined him, but it did take a toll. When he finally entered treatment, his health had already been deeply affected. We are proud of his courage. We love him deeply. And we hope his story might inspire others to seek help sooner.

Ron is survived by his beloved family: daughters Sarah Leu Anderson (Jamie) and Laura Leu (Adam Winer); grandchildren Simon, Thatcher, Leona, and Freddie; brothers Don and Dave Leu; niece Sherri Leu. He also leaves behind a circle of close friends — more like chosen family — spanning from Wisconsin to Florida.

Ron was full of stories and surprises. He left us with countless memories, a legacy of curiosity, and — inexplicably — a bag of 5,000 pennies in his closet. He made us laugh even when he wasn't trying. We miss him terribly.

A celebration of life will be held in Naples, Florida, on November 2, 2025. Details to come.