Ronald
Rathjen
Services
will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at All Faiths Funeral Home. The Rev. Jon
Rathjen will officiate. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery
at Ravenna.
Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Mr. Rathjen was born June 28, 1938, at Sweetwater to Henry and Freda Rathjen.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Wanda Gosnell.
Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Charlene; three sons and
a daughter-in-law, Craig Rathjen of Springfield, Mo., Ricky Rathjen of Talladega,
Ala., and Henry and Sara Rathjen of Grand Island; three daughters and a son-in-law,
Vickie and Pat Martin, Terri McMullen and Jessica Rathjen, all of Grand Island;
two brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert and Sondra Rathjen of Lincoln and Russell
and Marilyn Rathjen of Kearney; and two sisters and brothers-in-law, Jeanene
and Ed Melton and Doris and Ben Russell, all of Ravenna.
Other survivors are grandchildren, Carley, Rachel, Matthew, Stephanie, Justin,
Cami, Ramsey and Rabecca; and three great-grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Larry Rathjen; and a
sister, Carolyn Voboril.
Ron was raised in Sweetwater and Ravenna, graduating from Ravenna High School
in 1956. He was united in marriage to Charlene Kruser on Aug. 26, 1974, at Mitchell,
S.D. They made their home in Grand Island, where Ron worked for Harwager Poultry,
and then became a fireman for the Grand Island Fire Department. He retired in
1982. Ron founded Rathjen and Son, Inc.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Platt-Duetsche. He enjoyed
gardening, Keno, politics and spending time with his grandchildren.
Memorials are suggested to either Trinity Lutheran School or Heartland Lutheran
High School.