Ronald Lee "Ron" Stafford

Ronald (Ron) Lee Stafford, age 80, of Excelsior, MN, passed away on May 12, 2024. He was born on November 3, 1943, in Cincinnati, OH, to his father, Linville and mother Betty Stafford.
Ron had a unique childhood, living in eight states and attending thirteen different schools over the course of his early years. He was very bright and a good student although his transcripts had a hard time keeping up with him. Ron graduated from Taft High School, in Cincinnati, OH in 1961 and continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, graduating with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
In 1981, Ron met Judy, who was working in sales for Brown & Bigelow and HB Fuller Co. was one of her client accounts. They quickly fell in love and married on November 21, 1981.
Ron had a fulfilling career as a chemical engineer at HB Fuller and dedicated his entire professional life to the company. As Worldwide Director of Engineering and Manufacturing, Ron travelled the world to build manufacturing factories until his retirement at the age of 59 in December, 2003.
Following his retirement, Ron and Judy moved to Punta Gorda, Florida. They also enjoyed summering at their New Hampshire home, where they lovingly cared for their lawn and gardens and enjoyed hosting seafood boils on weekends.
Ron's intelligence and knowledge were admired by all who knew him. He could answer any question you would throw at him – or come up with a very convincing guess. He was the original Google, unbeatable in a game of Trivia and addicted to the television show Jeopardy. Outside of work, Ron had a deep love for his family and cherished spending time with them. He especially adored his grandchildren and enjoyed taking them to parks, reading to them, teaching them to fish and watching them play soccer or compete in dance competitions. Ron's favorite hobbies included golfing, fishing, waterskiing and ocean cruises. He and Judy especially loved a sunset cruise. He spent a lot of time on the golf course or on the water enjoying life with family and friends before and throughout his retirement.
Ron's life was marked by his resilience and determination as he fought Parkinson's disease for twelve years, with grit and grace, and never a complaint. He was a kind and humble man, with a great sense of humor and a deep and abiding faith. The memory of this fine man will forever live in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know him.
Ron will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Judith Stafford, nee Perkins, and his three children, Mike Stafford, Eric (Sharla) Stafford, and Rachel (Scott) Blackburn, as well as his stepchildren, Lisa Lewis, Derek (Milissa) MacNeil, and Matt (Lisa) MacNeil. Ron leaves behind a legacy of 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was the best big brother to his sister Pat (Jerry) Ziegler and was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Larry York.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the nurses and staff at Trouvaille and Grace Hospice for treating Ron and his loved ones with care and compassion, becoming like family to them during his illness.
In memory of Ron Stafford, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at www.michaeljfox.org or Trouvaille Care at www.trouvaillehomes.com/give.
Huber Funeral & Cremation Services
Excelsior Chapel 952-474-9595