Rodney J Ranum

Rodney James Ranum died on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 in the Fairview Hospital in Hibbing, MN. He was 58 years old. He had been fighting lung cancer since 2017.

Rod was born Rodney James Cameron on 6-25-62 to Burdett Cameron and Laverne (Boshey) Cameron in Virginia, MN.
Rod was somewhat mischievous in his younger years, and one of his grade school teachers jokingly dubbed him “Rotney”.
He was proud to be a member of the MN Chippewa tribe, Bois Forte band, Bear Clan. He wasn’t involved in tribal affairs in the later part of his life but tried to keep up with what was happening there and had many relatives and friends there as well.
Rod was an avid MN Vikings football fan.

Rod met his wife to be Maureen (Dino) Ranum at a teen gathering spot, Blue Denim in 1977. They were married at the Sand Lake Chapel in Britt, MN in 1983. Three children were born to them. Michael (Caryn) Ranum, David (Tiffany Weiss) Ranum, and Nicole (Brett Branville) Ranum. The couple divorced in 1990 and then remarried in 2017 at their daughter’s home, although remaining partners throughout most of that time. At the time of his death he also had 8 wonderful grandchildren: Alosha, Destiny, Medea, Raven, Alexa, Rowan, Tristyn and Otto.

Rod’s main vocation in life was working for St. Louis County in the Environmental Services Department as a Solid Waste Worker II. He worked mainly in Aurora, MN at the Hudson Transfer Station. He enjoyed his job and his customers. He enjoyed helping customers who needed it, such as the elderly or disabled, or people who maybe didn’t have the strength to remove something from their trucks.
The lights of his life though, were his grandchildren. He loved spending time playing with them. He enjoyed playing with his many nieces and nephews as well. He was lovingly referred to by them as Uncle Bun, and Uncle Gunk. His sense of humor endeared them all to him.
Originally Rod would take his children, nephews and nieces to the annual Rotary Kids Fishing Contest held each year in June in Virginia. In later years he continued this tradition, taking grandchildren, great nephews and great nieces to the contest. It was a much-anticipated event every year by both Rod and the children.

Rod was preceded in death by his father Burdett Cameron, mother Laverne Cameron, older brother Curt (Mona) Boshey.
He leaves behind his wife Maureen (Dino) Ranum, 3 children, brothers Ed (Serena) Cameron, Warren Cameron, Bruce Cameron, sisters Patricia Cameron, Susan (Keith Lerfald) Cameron, Carol Cameron, and Sheila Cameron and a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren (all of them very special), and friends who will love and miss him very much.

His funeral itself will be held on 6-5-21 at 2:00 at the Community Center in Mt. Iron on Hwy 169. There will be a reception with coffee an’ afterwards in the same location.