Ronald Granum, 74, of Estelline, formerly of Volga, passed away on June 28, 2023, at his home following a prolonged illness.  Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 7, 2023, at the First Lutheran Church in Volga at 2:00 P.M.  Burial will immediately follow the service at First Lutheran Cemetery in Volga.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.  Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting the Granum family with arrangements.

Ronald David Granum was born on August 21, 1948, in Volga, South Dakota, to Sylvan and Arlene (Nelson) Granum.  Growing up in the Volga area, Ron attended Volga area schools until he was drafted into the Army in 1968.  While enlisted in the military, Ron was stationed in Germany, a country that he hoped to one day return to.  Following his discharge, Ron returned to Volga where he worked alongside his dad at Granum Construction.  In 1986, when Sylvan passed away, Ron took over the business where he remained self-employed for nearly 40 years.  Before his retirement, Ron worked for the Brookings County Township Department, performing various maintenance tasks until his retirement at the age of 71.  While working for the county, Ron particularly enjoyed working on a road grader.

Ron held many interests throughout his life, but his true passion was vehicles.  Ron greatly enjoyed restoring antique IH Farmall tractors, driving them in parades during his later life, and collecting Farmall model tractors.  He also greatly enjoyed watching NASCAR races and proudly rooted for the number 9 Chase Elliott car.  Ron was also notorious for buying and trading trucks, always have 2 trucks at a time to ensure that he had the right vehicle for any job that arose.  Although he was enlisted in the Army, Ron always dreamed of being a pilot, enjoying visiting Ellsworth Air Force Base to view the different planes. He was a western fan through-and-through, often watching reruns of Bonanza, Wagon Train, and his favorite-Gunsmoke.  Although Ron was a man of few words, he was a caring person who always wore his heart on his sleeve.  He was an incredibly giving person, and would help anyone who needed him.  Perhaps his greatest love in life were his grandchildren.  Ron was very proud of his grandchildren, always making sure that he had candy for them during their visits.

Ron is survived by his fiancée, Carleen Anderson; his daughters, Angel (Trent) Ferguson and Jody (Jeremy) Riemersma; his grandchildren: Shelby Ferguson, Andrew Ferguson, Joche Ferguson, Dalton Ferguson, Alex Waller, and Cody Riemersma; two great-grandchildren, Hailee and Jaxan Ferguson; and his siblings: Gerald Granum, Rick (Dorothy) Granum, and Judy (Warren) Stokes.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Pamela Granum; his daughter, Melissa; his parents; sister Sally; and sister-in-law Kathi.