Less, Ronald Dean (1948 - 2024)

LESS, SCHROEDER, BROWER, SUSEMIHL, SEALEY

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 11/12/2024 at 18:52:07

Name of deceased: Ronald Dean Less

Aged: 76 yrs, 1 mo, 14 days

Residence: Rapid City, SD

Born: Sep. 7, 1948; LeMars, Plymouth County, IA

Died: Oct. 21, 2024; location not provided

Funeral services: Friday, Nov. 1, 2024; Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Harlan, IA

Survived by: Wife of 34 years, Tammy; siblings, Doug (spouse, Linda) Less, and Roger (spouse, JaNan) Less; daughter, Kari Schroeder; grandchildren, Emerson and August Schroeder; niece, Rebekah Less; nephews, Jason, Jeff, Michael, and Adam Less; mother-in-law, Marie Brower; brother-in-law, Mark Brower; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Theodore and Wilma (nee Susemihl) Less

Education: Graduated from Hinton (IA) High School, Class of 1966, lettering in basketball and track; he earned a Civil Engineering degree from South Dakota State University in 1971. He went on to earn his professional engineering license in 1974.

Religious affiliation: no information provided

Military service: Served in the Iowa National Guard from 1971 to 1978

Marriages: (1) Suzanne Sealey; date and location not provided (2) Tammy Brower; 1990; Des Moines, IA

Employment: Ron began working for the Iowa Department of Transportation from 1971 to 1980 as a roadway design and materials engineer. During his engineering career, Ron was active with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, American Council of Engineering Companies, and Portland Cement Association. He next pursued his passion for motorsports by starting Cyclone Sports, a retail business in Ames, IA, selling motorcycles, snow skiing equipment, and ATVs from 1981 to 1989. Ron returned to engineering as a project manager with Kirkham Michael Associates (KMA) Engineering in Des Moines, IA, from 1986 to 1998. He eventually took the helm as President of the corporate Omaha office; he also served on several community boards including the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America and the United Way of Omaha. He retired at age 56 in 2005.

Hobbies/Interests: Enjoyed being outdoors, camping in the pasture by the creek, and tinkering on the family cars. With daughter Kari, they enjoyed many adventures together, including Colorado ski trips, camping, and month-long motorcycle/camping rides to Alaska in 2006 and 2022. With his wife Tammy, they found joy for the open road, whether bicycling, motorcycling, or RV touring. They also loved Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Solo II, racing their Miata, and trap shooting. A true motorsport enthusiast, Ron participated in enduro and hare scramble motorcycle races around Iowa and nationally. After he retired, he and Tammy enjoyed time spent at Lake Okoboji, hosting family and friends for lakeside gatherings and boating escapades. In Iowa, Ron and his family enjoyed bicycling RAGBRAI (the annual bike ride across Iowa). Ron and Tammy frequently headed south in their RV during the winter months and explored new places on bicycles and motorcycles as snowbirds.

Sources: pauleyjones.com