Ronald Lawrence Dage, 05 Aug 1947 - 15 Mar 2019

DAGE, HEDGES, CARDANI, MCAFEE, BEAVER, PEARCE, ROBERTS, WHETSTINE, STONECIPHER

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 4/1/2019 at 15:53:52

Ronald Lawrence Dage

Amana - Ronald Lawrence Dage, 71, of Amana, passed away from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Friday, March 15, 2019 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

Ron was born to Carroll and Margaret Hedges of Iowa City, Iowa on August 5, 1947. In 1950, his father, Carroll, was killed in an automobile accident and subsequently, Ron and his four siblings were placed for adoption. This tragic event was to have a lifelong impact on Ron's life. He was then adopted by Lawrence and Margaret Dage and lovingly raised on a small farm near Albia, Iowa.

Ron completed his schooling in Albia before enlisting in the Navy in 1965. He was very proud of his military service, especially as a Vietnam Veteran on the U.S.S. Arlington, a communications ship. Ron enjoyed traveling the world with his shipmates. He was honorably discharged in 1968 and began working at Amana Refrigeration in 1969. That same year, he began working for Robert and Loy Walker of Marengo, Iowa in their growing farming operation. This turned into a lifelong friendship and Ron enjoyed it tremendously.

Ron married Karen Cardani at St. John's Lutheran Church in Marengo, Iowa in October of 1981. They moved to Amana in 1986. Ron worked for Amana Refrigeration for forty-one years in various positions before retiring in December of 2009. He continued to work for Bob Walker in the spring and fall for nearly fifty years.

Ron was such a kind and caring person, warm and welcoming, who was always the first to lend a helping hand. He loved to have fun, and oh how he could reel us in with his special and unique sense of humor that was all his own. Ron enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and his beloved cats, Emily and Lexie. He also enjoyed playing cards, shooting pool, going to the casinos, and more recently, collecting antique oil cans.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carroll Hedges and Margaret McAfee; adoptive parents, Lawrence and Margaret Dage; brother, Timothy Dage; sister, Susan Beaver; foster brother, Howard Pearce; and his much-loved cat, Erica.

Survivors include his wife, Karen, of forty-five years; brother, Tom (Carol) Dage of Gladstone, Missouri; three sisters, Becky Roberts of Albia, Iowa, Carroll Whetstine of Iowa City, Iowa, Midge (George) Stonecipher of Carenero, Louisiana; brother born, Charles Hedges, whereabouts unknown; and fourteen nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa in early summer.

Memorials may be directed to the Safe Haven Animal Shelter of Iowa County.

"Till we meet again, my friend."

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.iowacremation.com under Obituaries.

The Journal Tribune Mar. 27, 2019
The Gazette on Mar. 18, 2019