Ronald A. Rolando

Memorial Mass for Ronald Allen "Pete" Rolando, 79, of Hoyt Lakes, will be 10am Friday, March 15, 2013 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Hoyt Lakes with Fr. Steven Daigle as celebrant. Visitation will be one hour prior to mass at the church. Inurnment will be in the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Ronald died Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at St. Michael's Health and Rehab in Virginia, MN. He was born August 28, 1933 in Ely, MN, the son of James and Ellen(Toutloff) Rolando. He grew up on Shagawa Lake and graduated from Ely Memorial High School in 1951. He was an excellent high school athlete, participating in football, basketball, track and American Legion Baseball. He graduated from Ely Junior College in 1953. On January 24, 1953 he married Patricia Ruth Koski from Soudan, MN. He then went to work for the Reserve Mining Company at Babbitt, MN and then in 1954 continued his schooling at the University of Minnesota - Duluth and graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics. As a college student, he worked one summer at the Zenith Underground Mine in Ely. After college, his initial employment was with Remington Rand Univac in St. Paul, MN as a quality control technician. In 1957, he accepted employment with the Reserve Mining Company in Silver Bay, MN. as a Time Study Engineer. In 1963 he moved to Moline, Illinois and accepted a position with the John Deere Company in the Industrial Engineering Department. In 1965 he moved back to Minnesota and accepted employment with Erie Mining Company in Hoyt Lakes as an Industrial Engineer. In 1978 he transferred to Hibbing Taconite as Chief Industrial Engineer. In 1980 he was appointed Assistant Mine Superintendent, and then Mine Superintendent in 1984. In 1988 he transferred back to LTV Steel in Hoyt Lakes as Mine Superintendent, the position he held until his retirement in 1996. He worked 40 years in the Mining Industry. Ron enjoyed all outdoor activities and had a lifelong interest in photography, especially wildlife. He became a member of the Rush Lake Outing Club in 1974 and served as its president for 15 years. He was also a proud member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. Survivors include three daughters, Wendy Lee Tuggle, Deborah Lynn (Dave)Pender and Martina Marie (Paul) Drasler, all living in Minneapolis; two sons, Roland Scott (Christina Hofsommer) Rolando of Aurora and Ryan Patrick Rolando of Virginia; eight grandchildren; one great grandchild; brothers,James of International Falls and Charles of Ocala, FL; sister, Mary Ellen Gotchnik of Ely. He is preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Patricia of 59 years.