Ronald B. Fickel, 73, Malvern

March 25, 1937 - January 28, 2011
 
    Ronald Bruce Fickel, age 73, of Malvern, passed away on Jan. 28, 2011, at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, at the Mansfield-Hertz Funeral Home in Malvern with military honors and interment in the Malvern Cemetery. Pastor Gene Hilton officiated. Following the committal service, lunch and fellowship with the family was held at the Malvern United Methodist Church. Memorials suggested to Malvern Volunteer Fire Dept. or Malvern Volunteer Rescue. Mansfield-Hertz Funeral Home of Malvern in charge of arrangements.
    Ronald, the youngest of five children of Edna Teresa (Solberg) Fickel and Hugh Nelson Fickel, was born on March 25, 1937, in his parent’s home in Malvern.  He grew up and attended schools in Malvern, graduating from Malvern High School in 1954.  Following school, Ron worked for a year for his father at the Cross Roads Garage and drove a school bus for the Malvern School District.  In 1955, he enlisted in the United States Army and spent 16 months at the 38th Parallel in Korea, working in the 13th Combat Engineers Battalion. After his discharge in 1958, Ron returned to Malvern and worked for his father and with his brother Richard.  In 1975, Ron and Richard became co-owners of Cross Roads.  After many years of dedicated service to the community and their customers, Ron finally retired in 2004.
    Ron and Mary Louise Bargenquast were married on April 30, 1960, at the Malvern United Methodist Church and moved into the farmhouse adjacent to the family repair shop. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Teri, Debra, Ronald and Gwendolyn.
    Ron was baptized in 1959 and was a member of the Malvern United Methodist Church. His many talents included fatherhood, repairing anything mechanical, woodworking, restoring automobiles and renovating his late 1800s farmhouse.  He had a lifelong passion for hunting and fishing, sharing many wonderful memories with his father, brother, son and friends. He loved working with wood, especially walnut. He designed and built a beautiful Grandfather clock of solid walnut. In recent terms, this endeavor would be accurately described as being on his “bucket list.” He proudly enjoyed and admired his clock for nearly a decade and loved hearing the chimes resonate throughout his home. He also created custom-made walnut clocks for each of his children, in addition to numerous other projects.
    In later years, Ron enjoyed attending reunions with the 13th Engineers Battalion and reconnecting with his “Army Brothers.” He relished having regular phone calls with one of his Army friends, Al “Fuzz” Fronsdahl and his wife, Betsy. He also continued to enjoy spending time in the “shop,” which for years had been a congregational site for a bottle of “pop” and a bar of candy at break time. Even after retirement, when the weather was suitable, you could drive by and find Ron sitting in the east side of the shop with the overhead door open. He may be tinkering with something or just simply enjoying the sunlight, fresh air and friends that would stop in just to talk or still seeking his advice on what may be wrong with this or that. Other times, he would wave to friends as he manicured his lawn with his lawn tractor.
    Retirement also provided Ron with time to work on projects, which had been a lifelong dream. He began the restoration of Rich’s 1940 Ford Deluxe. With the aid of his friend, Lanny Goy, the car was brought into the shop and the project began. Though his intent was to always finish this project, his health didn’t afford him that opportunity. Nevertheless, he always sought that time when he felt “just a little bit better” so he could get back to the shop to work on it.
    Above all, Ron always felt his family was his greatest asset and he supported each of their endeavors. He consistently desired to help each of them and he joyously celebrated their accomplishments. He cherished his children and his grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Richard Fickel. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his strong work ethic, his integrity, his “never give up” perseverance and his undying love of his family, friends and country.
    Ron is survived by his children, Teri Bruster and husband Eric, and their children Mark, Meredith, and Benjamin, of Bettendorf; Deb Weiland and husband Monte, and their children, Libby and Jacob, of Des Moines; Drs. Ron Fickel and wife Karen, and their children Abigail, Andrew, Daniel and Elliana, of Hartland, Wis.; and Wendy Fickel and her daughters, Kassi and Cierra, of Des Moines; sisters, Arlene Hilton of Malvern; Betty Stribling of Shenandoah; and Rose Marie Shaw of Red Oak; many nieces and nephews; other relatives and a host of friends.