Ronald Eugene Uhrig was born in Sterling, Colorado to Gerald and Ellen Uhrig on June 2, 1941. He grew up on a homestead in Fleming, Colorado, along with two younger brothers, Jim and Jerry. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of November 6th, 2024.

The three boys kept their parents on their toes, always finding ways to get into trouble. In his youth, Ron was challenged by his younger brother to climb to the top of the windmill. So he did. The wind came up and the blades moved. Ron was knocked to the ground and broke his leg. After a few surgeries, the leg healed the best it could but he always had a shorter leg. That didn't stop him from being ornery, but it did keep him from competing in sports while he was in school.

Ron attended a one room schoolhouse outside of Fleming, after which he attended NJC for two years before transferring to CSU where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Arts. Ron married Mary Ellen Sturbaum at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Iliff on November 18th, 1962.

His first job out of college was in Hillrose, Colorado as an Industrial Arts teacher. It was during this time that Ron and Mary Ellen  had their first child, Gina. When the school in Hillrose closed, Ron and his growing family moved into the mountains of Gypsum, Colorado, where he taught at the junior high school in Eagle. While in Gypsum, Ron and Mary Ellen had their second child, David. While teaching at the junior high in Eagle, Ron was assigned the position of head wrestling coach despite never having wrestled himself. He spent hours reading about wrestling, studying the rules and techniques so that he would be able to give the kids he taught the best instruction that he was able.  Ron soon became homesick, and so he accepted a position in the northeastern plains with the Fort Morgan School District as the Industrial Arts teacher at the junior high. He  would remain at the junior high for some time before being given the opportunity to take a position at the high school where he would teach Industrial Arts alongside his colleagues and friends Jack Annan, Alan Nelson, Don Cockroft, and Bob Datteri. The new role came with new responsibility, and Ron became the leader of the FFA program. It was during his first year at the high school that Blaine, his second son, was born.

Ron took great pride in the FFA program and his students, and he was honored numerous times throughout his career with the FFA's Gold-Star Chapter Awards and Outstanding Chapter awards through the Young farmers. It was during this time in his career that, with the help of some of his colleagues, he established the Fort Morgan Young Farmers. The organization picked up traction fast and grew into a very strong community, and Ron would often recall the good times that he had with his friends at their meetings and events. The young farmers have carried forward his legacy of getting up to no good for a good cause, hosting events and participating in parades so that they can offer up ag scholarships to support students to this day.

After devoting much of his young life to fostering a love for industry and agriculture in his students, the strong call to return to farming finally won Ron over. With an admirable career spanning from 1963 to 1973, Ron resigned from his position with the school district, sold his house, bought a tractor and moved his family to a farm north of Fort Morgan. His family remained there until they grew up and left the house, with the exception of his youngest son Blaine who worked the farm with him. Never content to sit idle, Ron also took up seasonal work with Blaine at Great Western Sugar Factory during the cold months of the year. After 37 years, Ron finally decided it was time to rest. He retired and moved to Brush, Colorado with his wife, Mary Ellen. He did not let his retirement get in the way of old habits, however, and he kept up with his old friends by going to coffee every morning. Even after Ron moved to town, the farmer in him never left. Ronnie loved to drive the countryside, looking out in the fields of crops along County Road R and beyond to see how things were coming along, and assessing damage from the most recent hailstorm just as he would have done for his own fields. He loved to take his drives, and even when he could not drive any longer himself, he had his daughter Gina to take him to coffee on the weekends so he could take in the views along the way. He always wanted to have the greenest lawn on the block, and was always very proud of his rose bushes that he cultivated out front and the vegetables that he grew in his backyard.

Ron and Mary Ellen's home in Brush became the epicenter for the Uhrig family. Their children and Grandchildren visited often, and they loved every minute of every visit. Grandma Mary Ellen ensured that everyone was invited to dinner on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and seeing the family together always put a huge smile on Ron's face. In late 2020, Ron and Mary Ellen got sick with Covid-19. He managed to fight through his sickness, but Mary Ellen was not able to make it. On the night before Christmas Eve, he was able to visit her during her final waking moments, and on January 3rd, 2021, Ron lost his best friend and the love of his life.

Ron never once quit in all of his years. He stood strong through numerous chronic illnesses without so much as a wince or complaint of pain. He walked every morning for years around the block of his house and sometimes further, oxygen bottle in tow but never holding him back. After his walk, he would always settle in on his porch, loving every minute of conversations he was able to have with neighbors, friends, and strangers outside of his home. He looked forward to visits from everyone, from the volunteers for meals on wheels to his mail lady who always made sure to stop in and ensure that he was alright. Most of all, Ron was quite fond of being able to watch the world go by. He would make sure to inform anyone he spoke to of the weather forecast, kept up with all of the gossip in town, and loved to watch everyone leaving for work in the morning. Ron never met a stranger, and to many he will be remembered as the man who walked all over with his walker. Wind was one of the few things in all of God's creation that Ron could not stand. He would brave the snow and the heat, and even sit outside in the rain from time to time, but you would never catch him out in the wind.

Although he was never able to play sports in school, he was an avid fan of Notre Dame and the Broncos. He liked watching the Rockies, Beetdigger wrestling, football and softball. On hot summer days when he was unable to stay outside for long, he could even be found watching some golf on the television.

Ron was very active in the lives of his children. He went to every wrestling match and football game his boys were in. Mary Ellen and Ron traveled all over to these matches and games. Ron also got his kids involved in 4H. They learned so much from him about animal husbandry, and he made sure to emphasize the responsibility that came with caring for another living thing. Ron always had such a gentle heart for animals. He brought many pets and farm animals into his life, including his longtime farm-hand Rowdy, the border collie, and a donkey he saved from slaughter and brought onto his farm. He made a habit of adopting kittens from the shelter and raising them in the barn, taking care to keep them warm and well fed so they could grow up and keep the property free of rodents. His grandchildren loved being able to go out into the barn and spend time with the barn cats. While living in town he continued to nurture the local animals. He made sure his bird bath was always full and made sure to give a bit of bread from his Meals on Wheels to the squirrels in his yard.

Ron is survived by his Daughter, Gina Schaefer (Ron), His Sons David Uhrig (Maria) and Blaine Uhrig (Lisa), his Grandchildren, Shanna Suppes (Michael), Mitch Schaefer, Traci Schaefer, Tobias Uhrig (Abigale), Jordan Uhrig, Royce Uhrig, Romie Uhrig, Roxie Uhrig, his great-grandson Caleb Suppes, and one soon to be great-granddaughter.

Ron was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ellen Uhrig, his parents, Gerald and Ellen Uhrig and his brothers, Jim Uhrig and Jerry Uhrig.

Written condolences and contributions can be addressed to the Uhrig Family, C/O Rowanoak Mortuary, 231 S. Sherman Street, Fort Morgan, Colorado 80701

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