“Daddy’s Home,” that’s the announcement Baby Jackie made to the choir of angels on Dec. 17, 2024. Ronald William Stoikes, 87, of Norwalk, Wis., died at home, the hobby ranch that he and his wife Kathy built in 1972. He was born on Nov. 27, 1937, in Ontario, Wis., to Herman and Violet (Green) Stoikes.
Ron was united in marriage to his beloved wife, Kathleen “Kathy” Kotten, on Nov. 30, 1957. Together, they built a life rich in love, laughter, and shared adventures.
From his youth, Ron was drawn to the hardworking life of the land and the joy of the outdoors. During high school, he found pleasure working alongside a local farmer, with a shared passion for fishing. His industrious nature led him to logging during construction off-seasons.
Ron operated heavy equipment during construction of the interstate system between Wisconsin Dells and La Crosse. His handiwork was also evident in the local church steeple and numerous barns that dot the rural landscape. In the Village of Norwalk, Ron served not just as the policeman but as a jack-of-all-trades, undertaking maintenance, first-responder duties, and even the role of dog catcher.
Later, as the Town of Wellington Road patrolman and in his time with Gerke Excavation, Ron’s expertise as a heavy-equipment operator and graderman was widely recognized and respected.
A lifetime of fishing, hunting, camping, and farming filled his days with joy and brought him peace. He instilled this love of nature in his children and later his grandchildren, whom he delighted in teaching the finer points of casting a line, always with a sparkle in his eye and a tale of the “big one” that got away. The children may have claimed they didn’t want to eat fish, but Ron’s playful spirit ensured they enjoyed his “chicken nuggets.” And with the mischievous twinkle in his eye, he would offer them a sip of “green whiskey” to wash it down. It was many years later that they learned that it was really just pop in a green bottle.
In retirement, Ron and Kathy sought warmer climates, spending the winter months in Freedom Shores, Texas, where the fishing was as good as the company. Even in these leisure years, Ron’s hands were never idle, as he took up the hobby of collecting scrap iron, finding purpose in many of the collections that he started.
Ron is survived by his wife of 67 years, Kathy; his sons, Ron (Janelle), Mike (Eileen), and Jim (Lisa); his grandchildren, Naomi, Sonya, Jesse, Whitney, Natalie, Sam, Eric, Alexander, and Austin; 15 great-grandchildren; his sisters, Clara Laufenberg and Carol Jean (Carson) Hatfield; his in-laws, Pat Kotten, Joyce Kotten, Jim Kowitz, Bonnie Kotten, Mahlen Clark, and Bob Clark; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Ron was preceded in death by his daughter, Jackie; his parents, Herman and Violet; his mother- and father-in-law, Henry and Mary Kotten; his sisters, Rosie Clark, Margaret Clark, and Marilyn (Bill) Benish; and his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jim, Cletus, and Bernard Kotten, Pat Kowitz, Bill (Marlyne) Van Slyke and Lawrence Laufenberg.
A memorial service will be at 12 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Torkelson Funeral Home, 1132 Angelo Road, Sparta, Wis. A private family burial will be held at a later date in the St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery in Norwalk, Wis. Family and friends are invited to the funeral home on Sunday, Dec. 22, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
