Obit: Simek, Ronald L. (1929 - 2015)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bunselmeier, Cummings, Giese, Hrdlicka, Matheus, Noziska, Olmstead, Simek, Wolfe

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 1/29/2015

Simek, Ronald "Ron" L. (9 NOV 1929 - 20 JAN 2015)

Former Ogema and Medford area resident Ronald "Ron" L. Simek, 85, Genoa, Nev., died on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Renown Hospital in Reno, Nev., where he had been a patient the past nine days.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Ogema, with Rev. Dr. Bob Giese officiating. Interment will be at Mount Olive Cemetery in Westboro, with military rites performed by the Westboro VFW.

Active pallbearers are his grandsons, Jeremy Wolfe, Brandon, Jasen and Garrett Cummings and Ben and Josef Simek. Honorary pallbearers are Daniel and Bill Noziska, Ernie Olmstead and Don Bunselmeier.

Visitation will be held at Hemer Funeral Home in Medford on Friday, Jan. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m., and at the church on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of service.

Ronald Simek was born on Nov. 9, 1929 at the family homestead in the town of Ogema to the late Josef and Vlasta (Hrdlicka) Simek. He attended Ogema area elementary schools and was a 1947 graduate of Westboro High School. He served in the United States Army in Germany during the Korean Conflict.

In March of 1955 at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Medford, he married Joan E. Matheus, and they later divorced.

He worked in Wausau in the timber industry and served as a game warden in Rusk County. He owned and operated Green Acres Tavern in rural Medford. In 1960, he purchased Tombstone Tap, which he later co-owned with his brother, "Pep." During this time he also farmed in the town of Ogema. From 1962 to 1986, he co-owned and co-operated and served as president of Tombstone Pizza in Medford. In 1987, he moved to Nevada where he owned a cattle ranch until 1997 when he moved to Wyoming to ranch. His business interests included a golf course, real estate business and gun club.

He was a life member of Premeau-Schauss VFW Post No. 7817 of Westboro, NRA, Wild Sheep Foundation, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau, Book of Who's Who, Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2011 and Rib Lake High School Hall of Fame in 2013. He was active in the Republican party and enjoyed hunting, farming, socializing and polka music.

Survivors include four children, Rhonda (Robert) Cummings, Jeffrey (Lisa) Simek and Wendy (Brian) Cummings, all of Ogema, and Tony (Sandra) Simek of Cody, Wyo.; four siblings, Gloria Olmstead of Medford and Vlasta "Vi" Cummings of Delta Junction, Alaska, and half brothers, Bill (Mary Ann) Noziska of Casper, Wyo., and Daniel (Judy) Noziska of Juneau, Alaska; 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph "Pep" Simek.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be given to Premeau-Schauss VFW Post No. 7817.

Online condolences may be made at www.hemerfuneralservice.com.