Ronald Bielfeldt

Ronald Gene Bielfeldt, 92, of Gibson City, formerly of Sibley, passed away peacefully on Saturday March 11, 2023, at 12:21 a.m. at the Gibson Hospital Annex with his family by his side.

            Ron was born February 27, 1931, in Anchor Township to Fred G. (F.G.) and Grace Gilmore Bielfeldt.  He married Carol Jean Staubus on January 30, 1955, in Bloomington.  She survives.

            He is also survived by four children, Kent (Jean) Bielfeldt, Strawn; Rona (Mike) Eyer, Gibson City; Terry (Carol) Bielfeldt, Braidwood; and Bonnie (David) Berner, Champaign; 14 grandchildren, Joe, Jeff, Jeremy, Sarah, Nikki, Tony, Emily, Colleen, Jordan, Hannah, Alex, Rachel, Ryan and Riley; and many great-grandchildren; three sisters, Camilla Lohmeyer and Carol Boyle, Gibson City; and Beverly Meginnes, Bloomington, and brother-in-law, Roger (Linda) Staubus, Bloomington.

            Ron grew up in rural Sibley on the family farm and graduated from Sibley Community High School in the Class of 1948.  He served four years in the United States Air Force including a tour in Korea during the Korean War.  He worked for three years at General Electric before becoming a life- long farmer first in the Piper City area and then in 1960 until his retirement in rural Sibley. 

            He was a member of The American Legion Martin H. Suntken Post 244 for many years.  He served on the boards of the Sibley Grain Company, Sullivant Township, and the Melvin-Sibley School District; he also sold Pfister Hybrids seed corn and held many other jobs related to farming through the years.  He was an active member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sibley, where he served on the church council and participated in Brotherhood, and never missed a Sunday which his faithful practice of worship was passed on to his children and grandchildren.  He went on an Honor Flight in March 2014 with his son, Kent, as his guardian.  He enjoyed square dancing with wife, Carol, for several years.  He was a hard-working man, enjoyed his big family and loved reading The Pantagraph from cover-to-cover, hunting, watching all sports on television, doing jigsaw puzzles, and playing cards in his spare time.

            A private family burial will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery at Sibley.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.  Memorials may be made to a church of your choice, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Gibson Area Hospital Annex, or the Sibley Business and Historical Association for the continuing restoration of Sibley. 

            The family sincerely thanks the wonderful staff at the Annex for all the compassionate care over the last nine months.