Ronald Robert Staley passed away July 3, 2017. He was born in a farm house in Hillrose, CO on March 27, 1941 to Robert and Frieda (Schuppe) Staley.  He was baptized on April 20, 1941 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sterling, CO.

Ron moved with his parents to a farm southwest of Fort Morgan when he was 5 years old. He was confirmed in the Zion Lutheran Church in 1955 and graduated from Fort Morgan High School in 1959.

Ron then worked for his uncles, the Schuppe Brothers in Sterling CO. They were carpenters and Ron became very good at building houses.  He was most proud in helping build the Trinity Lutheran Church in Sterling CO.   But his heart was in farming and longed to go back to the farm.

In 1962 Ron met his future wife, Linda Thomas. On September 22, 1963 Ron and Linda were married in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Morgan.  They bought an 80 acre irrigated farm, his pride and joy where they raised corn, alfalfa, sugar beets, cattle, and three children; Michael Troy, Rhonda Sue, and Scott Alan.  Ron was always very supportive of their children in all off their sports and 4-H activities.

In the good and not so good years Ron always said he farmed on faith and gave all credit to God for his many blessings.  Ron felt he was just the caretaker.  Their faith is what kept them going. When Ron planted corn his rows had to be straight as a pin, Ron was very particular.  His friends and neighbors would tease him that he could get more corn out of a crooked row, but no, Ron's rows had to be straight.  He put his heart and soul into every crop he raised.  The new crop of each new year signified to him a new beginning, a new life and he loved to see it grow and nurture it.  When the occasional hail storm came, Ron would be sad but say "Maybe next year".  When years were tough Ron worked off the farm in his spare time to help make ends meet.  Because Ron farmed alone, he would invent different things to make his farming easier.  He knew how to fix anything.  When Ron was still a young teen he made a unicycle and even got good enough to go up and down a see-saw, he was so proud of himself for this.  After Ron retired from farming he took up the hobby of making memory CD's for family and friends.  Ron truly enjoyed doing this to make people happy.

Ron was a quiet, shy man until he got to know you. Then everyone found out this guy really liked to talk.

Ron is survived by his wife Linda of 53 years and his children, Michael (Rhonda) of Fort Morgan, Rhonda Bentz (Kyle) of Windsor, Scott (Michelle) of Fort Morgan.

He was blessed with six grandchildren: Kaleb Staley (Kelsey), Kendal Staley (Whitney), Kyrie' Bentz, Kylee Bentz, Ethan Staley, and Ty Staley. His great-grand children, Cole Staley and Cheyenne Staley.  They all meant the world to him.  He was so proud of the family that God gave to him.  He was preceded in death by an infant granddaughter, Alice May Bentz and his parents.  He also is survived by three sisters; Roberta Heaton, Joanne Cook, and Alberta Simmons.

Funeral services will be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Morgan at 10:30 am on July 15, 2017. Friends and family who wish may contribute to The Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Fund.