Ronald L. Hodne

     Ronald (Ron) LaVerne, son of Arlo L. and Thelma A (Ramsey) Hodne was born on March 13, 1939 at the family farm southwest of Manning, Iowa.  Ron grew up near Manning and attended rural schools until the eighth grade.  He then attended Manning High School where he was a four year letter winner and excelled at football and track.  He graduated in 1957 and drove truck for his uncles at Ramsey Transfer and then began to farm in partnership with his father.  In 1958, Ron met Sally Haworth, the new 6th grade school teacher in Manning.  On December 28, 1959 Ron and Sally were united in marriage at Sacred Heart Church in Manning.  Shortly after marriage, the couple moved to the family farm southwest of Manning where they raised their family.  Ron loved working on the farm where he fed livestock and farmed corn and soybeans.  They were blessed with four sons:  Bret, Scott, Nate and Nick.  In 1985, Ron and Sally moved to Manning and Ron continued to work in agriculture.  He bought hogs for the NFO hog buying station and then worked for Farmland Industries in the feeder pig division and M&F Livestock until his retirement in 2002.  In the following years, as a part-time job, he drove truck for Twin Transfer of Manning and drove a tour bus for Windstar of Carroll.  He really enjoyed the people he met on the Windstar trips and talked often of the places he visited. He especially enjoyed the times he drove his granddaughters Katie and Kellie to Chicago and Washington D.C.

     Ron greatly enjoyed being around people.  He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  He served on the Carroll county Beef Producers, the Manning Community School Board from 1980 – 1992, the Manning Regional Hospital and Clinic Board and many other community organizations.  Ron’s favorite activity was the fishing trips to Canada where wonderful memories were made fishing with his sons, grandchildren and many other family members and close friends.  He spent many mornings telling jokes and stories over coffee with friends at the Corner Café, and always looked forward to visiting with his neighbors, friends, and family on the telephone. 

     Ron passed away peacefully on Monday, March 9, 2020 at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.  He was 80 years, 11 months and 27 days of age.

     Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Arlo and Thelma Hodne; son Nick Hodne; and brothers LaRue Hodne and Don Hodne.

     Left to celebrate Ron’s life is his wife, Sally Hodne of Manning;  children:  Bret (Barb) Hodne of Ankeny; Scott (Julie) Hodne of Manning; Nate (Tina) Hodne of Fayetteville, AR; eight grandchildren:  Katie, Nick, Kellie, Ryan, Kimberlie, Ashley, Alexis, and Joe; five great grandchildren:  Jaz, Maddie, Max, Theo and Liam; sister Jan Lakers of Omaha, NE; sister in law Shirley Hodne of Omaha; Sally’s six sisters and four brothers; as well as many nieces, nephews, other extended relatives and many friends.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the IKM Manning School Foundation, Manning Regional Healthcare Center or the City of Manning Trail Systems.