Ronald Monson, age 87 of Bottineau, passed away on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at his home near Bottineau. His funeral will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. Burial will be at the Swedish Lutheran Cemetery.

Ronald Leonard Monson, son of Olaf and Agnes (Gustafson) Monson, was born on October 5, 1938, in Bottineau, North Dakota. He grew up on the family farm north of Bottineau as the youngest of six children, where he learned the value of hard work early in life. He attended a country school near Bottineau and completed the eighth grade.

On August 6, 1962, Ronald married the love of his life, Ona Fairweather, in Rugby, North Dakota. Together they built a beautiful life in Bottineau, where they made their home for 62 years and raised their three children, Brenda, Gregory, and Bradley.

In his younger years, Ronald worked a variety of jobs before beginning work for M & J Equipment in the early 1970s, where he remained until the early 1980s. He later joined North Central Equipment, retiring in the 1990s so he could follow his lifelong dream of ranching and farming. In the 1970s, Ronald and Ona purchased their family farm. From there, they worked side by side to clear the land, farm the fields, and raise cattle, building a life they were proud of through dedication, determination, and love.

Ronald was a hardworking man who always liked to stay busy. He had a gift for tinkering with farm equipment and was often the one others called when something needed repair. He could frequently be found out in the brush on a bulldozer, doing the kind of work he truly enjoyed. More than anything, Ronald passed on to his children and grandchildren the importance of hard work, the reward that comes from it, and the joy of taking time to enjoy life as well.

Ronald is survived by his children, Brenda (Scott) Watson and Brad (Darci); seven grandchildren, Dustin, Andrea (Josh), Patrick (Sam), Garrett, Jeremy (Ashley), Alyssa, and Mitchell; and three great-grandchildren, Hailey, Alli, and Alexander.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Ona; his son, Greg; his parents; and his siblings