Ronald Lee Druecker, 80 of Elkader, Iowa passed away, Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at his home. Ronald Lee Druecker was born on October 9, 1943 to Mainard and Helen Druecker. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Sebald Lutheran Church, in rural Strawberry Point, Iowa.
Ron was the youngest of three children, all raised on a farm south of Volga, Iowa. He attended the one room school at the end of the valley, and was a member of the last graduating class from Volga High School, graduating in 1961. Encouraged by his parents to continue his education, he graduated from the State Teacher’s College of Iowa (UNI) in 1965 and began his career with the Department of Defense at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. During his employment he was drafted into the US Army and served two years, being stationed in Mannheim, Germany. Ron was a current member of the Elkader American Legion Post 106.
Upon completing his service in the Army, he returned to work at the Rock Island Arsenal where he met and married his wife, Diane (Gass), and they were married in 1969. They made their home in Bettendorf, Iowa with their two children. Throughout his working life, he continued to maintain connections to the rural area where he grew up, bringing the family to Northeast Iowa regularly to farm on weekends, and share his love of the land. These trips instilled connections to grandparents, church, extended family, generational efforts, and land that provided his wife and children with an appreciation for the life and work of where he grew up. Ron continued to work at the Arsenal until his retirement in 1996.
After retiring from work and years of making trips to Northeast Iowa, Ron and Diane moved back to a farm near Elkader to continue his love of farming.
He was able to spend his retirement doing just that -making hay, raising calves, checking his beef cows, driving on the annual tractorcade, planting crops and helping with harvest. His children followed his appreciation for farming, and he was often found helping their families in a variety of ways with their farming operations as well. There was usually no doubt he would help, unless it interfered with one of his “Fridays” – those were his day to take off, driving the country roads with Diane and stopping in for a meal at one of his favorites: Rausch’s, The Old Rossville Store, White Springs, Spring Lake Inn, Breitbach’s, or maybe a Harris Pizza back in the Quad Cities.
Ron took time over the years to enjoy woodworking and completed a Grandfather Clock and Grandmother Clock, both made from walnut trees cut from the farm. He also enjoyed making walking sticks from a variety of woods.
Ron was not one to share many stories or words and he liked it that way. However, the words he did say were always valuable guidance for consideration if we looked at what he was saying. His favorite thing to talk about was farming and you could always get a conversation going with that topic. He also enjoyed a good debate about Nature v. Nurture in regards to raising children, and especially in regards to his children raising his grandchildren. Ron was a step ahead to tease at all times, reminding us it helped to build character. It might have been with a few words, but you knew he had been thinking of a time he was going to say it -just to see what kind of reaction he could get. He stressed the importance of the value of truth, and he lived by that, no doubt.
Ron passed away at home with his family, after receiving dedicated care from his wife and St. Croix Hospice, who took care of him until his passing on October 2, 2024. He lived a life of almost 81 years. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Diane (Gass) Druecker of rural Elkader, Iowa, and his two children and their families: Bryan & Jennifer Druecker (Caitlyn and Laura) of rural Elkader, Iowa and Kristin & Mace Klingman (Parker and Keaton) of rural Strawberry Point, Iowa; Sister-in-Law Shirley Druecker, Brother-in-Law Paul Hexom; along with nieces and nephews. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, sister Carol (Druecker) Hexom, brother Luverne Druecker, grandson Landon Druecker, and niece Dawn (Druecker) Cannon.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City, Hope Lodge of Iowa City, and St. Croix Hospice
A visitation will be held at St. Sebald Lutheran Church, rural Strawberry Point, from 10-11am on Saturday, October 12, 2024 with a service at 11am.
Inurnment will follow at St. Sebald Lutheran Cemetery.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elkader Iowa assisting the family with arrangements.