Ronald Rauk, age 75, of Beaver Creek, Minnesota, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family on March 10, 2023.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 21, at the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek from 4 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be on Wednesday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m. at the church with burial to follow at Beaver Creek Cemetery. To sign an online registry and view a life tribute video, please visit www. hartquistfuneral.com.
Ronald Edward Rauk was born on March 20, 1947, to Edward and Elizabeth (Keehr) Rauk in Seaside, Oregon. They moved to Beaver Creek shortly after his parents were discharged from the United States Army. He was baptized at McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls at the age of nine prior to having surgery. He attended grades 1-12 in the Beaver Creek School where he graduated in 1965. He played baseball, basketball and football.
He furthered his education at Worthington Junior College in Worthington, Minnesota, and at Sioux Falls College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He left school to help his father and grandfather at Rauk’s General Store. Ron started driving school bus for H-BC School District in 1970 until retiring in 2021.
On October 17, 1970, he was united in marriage to Marlys Peterson at Dalesburg Lutheran Church in rural Vermillion, South Dakota. The couple made their home in Beaver Creek. Ron continued to operate the family store after the death of his father. He and Marlys built Rauk’s Hilltop Stop in 1995. When his health was failing, his nephews took over the operation of the store which they eventually purchased. Ron had a liver transplant at Mayo Clinic in 2000 and a kidney transplant at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls in 2008. On March 10, 2023, while in his home surrounded by his loving family, Ron went to be with his Lord and Savior at the age of 75 years, 11 months, and 21 days.
Ron was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek where he attended Sunday School and confirmation. He later served as an elder and was a Sunday School teacher.
In his younger years, he enjoyed bowling and golfing. Ron was passionate about serving the Beaver Creek community. He coached his son’s Hills- Beaver Creek baseball team, was a volunteer fireman for 36 years, served on the Southwest Opportunity council, city council, and was mayor for three terms. He was also a member of the Beaver Creek Jaycees where he served as president and state chaplain. Ron loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandson. He loved slipping them money without Marlys’ knowledge. Ron touched the lives of many children in his 51 years of driving school bus. Any relative or friend that had a nickname, it probably came from Ron.
He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Marlys, of Beaver Creek; two children, Ryan of Beaver Creek and Linnea Cooper and her husband Brandon of Mitchell, South Dakota; four grandchildren, Austin (Kendra) Rauk, Dewell Rauk, and Colton and Colbie Cooper; great-grandson Boden Rauk; Gina Rauk; sisters Mareda (Keith) Bertelson of Sioux Falls and Roxanne Rauk of Sioux Falls; sister-in-law Mary Rauk of Beaver Creek; and four nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Rick.