Rev. Ronald William Mahnke, age 75, St. Cloud, Minnesota, died Monday, July 18, 2016, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Home, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

Funeral services will be Saturday, July 23, 2016, at 11:00 AM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Visitation will be Friday, July 22, 2016, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home Chapel and one hour prior to the service at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Saturday. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Funeral arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Ronald was born February 19, 1941, in Carroll, Iowa, to William H. and Luella (Anton) Mahnke. After graduating from Manning High School in 1959, Ron attended St. Paul's Jr. College at Concordia, Missouri, Concordia Senior College at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Concordia, Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received a Master of Divinity Degree in 1968.

He married Barbara Bohne on December 27, 1967, at Zion Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Ron served as pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Dumas, Texas, served a dual parish at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Eden Valley, Minnesota, and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Cold Spring, Minnesota, and served at Oklahoma Ave. Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He began his chaplaincy ministry in 1978 doing a residency in Pastoral Care at St. Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee, and became certified with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. From 1980-2003 he served as Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education in a hospital setting in Minot, North Dakota. During this time he also received his Master's Degree in marriage and family therapy and became a licensed professional counselor.

Ron is a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, former president of the local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind and received the Mayor's Rock-On Award in 2012 during Granite City Days. Learning and spreading the Gospel message was his lifelong passion.

Ron is survived by his wife, Barbara of St. Cloud, Minnesota; children, Brad (Anita) Mahnke of West Fargo, North Dakota, and Dara (Steve) Brewer of St. Cloud, Minnesota; mother, Luella Mahnke of Manning, Iowa; grandchildren, Jensen Potts, Keaton Mahnke, Mesa Potts, Kenley Mahnke; sister, Shannon (Charles) DeVoll of Edgerton, Wisconsin; brother-in-law, David (Sharon) Bohne of Eagan, Minnesota; and eight nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his father, William and sister, Beverly.

Memorials are preferred to the Prince of Peace Lutheran School Scholarship Fund.