December 22, 1931 - February 25, 2017

Ron Colby, 85, of Spooner, WI passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2017 in Phoenix, AZ with his daughter, Lora, and his favorite son-in-law, Terry, by his side.

Ron was born to Levi and Mildred Colby in Hammond, IN on December 22, 1931.  He attended Griffith Public Schools where he excelled in basketball, track, and football and caught the eye of Darlene Joyce Moffett who would later become his wife.  He had fond childhood memories of his visits to the family farm in Mondovi, WI.  As a young man, he was an avid outdoorsman and spent much of his time hunting and fishing.  After graduating in 1951, Ron went on to train as an Instrumentation Man IV for the United States Air Force at Sheppard Air Force Base.  He proudly served his country during the Korean Conflict while stationed in Wichita, KS and later received a National Defense Service Medal.

Ron and Darlene married on April 24th, 1954 and raised three children.  Ron and his young family loved to travel and camp throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin.  After visiting and enjoying the Spooner area in the early 1970's, they decided to set roots.  Being the craftsman that he was, Ron built their dream cabin on Sunfish Lake.  They made the long trips between Indiana and Spooner often during the summers, but decided to make it their permanent getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city in 1976.

Some would say Ron was a jack of all trades having been a driver for Borden Wholesale Milk, a photo engraver, a manager at Arrow Building Center in Spooner, WI, and the owner of Oak Lake Inn in Webb Lake, WI.  In 1998 Ron and Darlene sold Oak Lake Inn to pursue their dreams of traveling the American Southwest in a fifth wheel trailer.  After Darlene's death in 2000, Ron continued to travel the country while visiting family and friends.

Ron enjoyed metal detecting, listening to country western music, and striking up conversation with those around him.  He never met a stranger and always had a smile and kind words to share.  With an ever positive outlook on life, he always had high hopes that his hobby in metal detecting would someday payoff.  Though he never found his paydirt, Ron was a light hearted soul who was rich in humor and left an impact on every person he encountered.  Ron loved and missed his wife and was proud of his children.

Ron is survived by his son, Randall (Carrie) Colby, Fredericksburg, TX; daughter Lora (Terry) McLaughlin, Phoenix, AZ; son Larry (Shelley) Colby, Spooner, WI; 4 grandchildren, Sarah, Bryan, Andrew, and Miranda; 8 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers Byron "Butch" Colby and Roger Colby; sister Betty Vogt; and brother-in-law Darc Moffett of Michigan.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents; wife of 46 years, Darlene; brothers Don and Merle; and infant Daughter, Rhonda.

A visitation will be held Thursday, March 2nd at Bratley-Nelson Funeral Home in Spooner from 5 - 7 PM.  A funeral is scheduled for 11 AM on Friday, March 3rd at Bratley-Nelson, with a visitation starting at 10 AM.  Russ Leeper will officiate the ceremony.  All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ron's life.  Interment will be in the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery in Spooner. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of the Valley at https://www.hov.org/ in Ron's name. Condolences can be sent to Bratley-Nelson. The family would like to thank the caregivers at The Stratford and Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ for their care.

Last Update: Dec 16, 2018 5:41 pm CST