Ronald G. Tysdal

Ronald Gene Tysdal, 78, of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Sunday, July 16, 2023, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Visitation with family and friends will be Thursday, July 20th from 5pm – 7pm at Heritage Funeral Home (4800 S. Minnesota Ave. in Sioux Falls, SD).

Funeral services will be Friday, July 21st at 10am at Heritage Lutheran Church (117 S. Sandstone Ave. in Brandon, SD).

To watch Ron's Funeral, click on the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86704171660?pwd=Q09UY1h3MmhyTTA4TmcwRFd5cmY0UT09#success

Burial to follow at 2pm at Rosehill Cemetery in Parker, SD.

Ron was born on July 3, 1945, in Parker, SD, to Selmer and Florence (Thompson) Tysdal. He attended school in Parker and lettered in football 4 times while at Parker High School before graduating in 1964.

Ron then attended Southern State College in Springfield, SD, to study auto body repair. After college, Ron worked at Pierre’s Body Shop and Ben-Hur Ford. He then started his own business, Ron’s Body Shop, in Sioux Falls.

Ron and Jean Ann (Foss) Tysdal were married on June 7, 1975, and lived in Sioux Falls.

With his love for cars, racing was in Ron’s blood. He owned numerous race cars between the 1970’s and 1990’s and was part of several championship racing teams over the years.

In the late-1970’s and early-1980’s, Ron was one of the owners of Hartford Speedway (now I-90 Speedway), which was a major dirt track in the region.

During the 1980’s, Ron was an active member in the Great Plains Street Rodders. With his red 1931 Ford Model A Victoria, Ron and Jean (and kids) went on many street rod runs throughout the Midwest, having great times with friends.

Ron also loved taking Jean and the kids fishing, spending countless summer weekends with family and friends on Lake Oahe.

After a 3-decade career in the body shop business, Ron enjoyed retirement, spending many winters in Apache Junction, AZ, with Jean and numerous friends from Sioux Falls.

Ron and Jean also spent summers camping, fishing, and golf cart cruising with friends in Platte, SD.

Friendship and comradery were important to Ron throughout his entire life. He was a social guy, and every day with Ron was an adventure of shenanigans with friends. He enjoyed spending time with his buddies daily for coffee, lunch and beers.  Ron and his friends had decades of laughs and lasting memories which he cherished.

He was willing to do just about anything to help a friend out.  And if Ron couldn’t help, he “had a guy” that he’d line them up with to get them taken care of. He would drop his own projects in an instant to help a friend out with whatever they needed.

Ron thrived on showing spontaneous generosity to his friends and family.

Ron and Jean were founding members of Heritage Lutheran Church in Brandon.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Selmer and Florence Tysdal; sister: Phyllis Tysdal; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Cliff and Marcella Foss; and brother-in-law: Ronald Roddel.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife: Jean Tysdal; children: Rochelle (Pete) Nelson, Renee (Joel) Ingle and Ryan (Sara) Tysdal; grandchildren: Cole (Meredith) Nelson, Kane (Jenny) Nelson and Clay (Nancy) Nelson, Jacob and Ella Ingle, and Harper, Emerson and Henry Tysdal; great-grandchildren: Gunnar and Mia Nelson; sister-in-law: Judy Roddel; and brother-in-law: Cliff (Peggy) Foss, Jr.

And last but not least, Ron will be missed by his and Jean’s dog, Honey, who was spoiled constantly by Ron. But not to worry, Jean has promised to give Honey the last bite of each ice cream cone, just as Ron did.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls and Heritage Lutheran Church in Brandon.