Ronald Lee Bluvas

Northview - North Mankato Mortuary
2060 Commerce Drive
North Mankato, MN 56003
(507) 388-2288


Ronald Lee Bluvas, age 65, passed away quietly at Oak Terrace Retirement Home in North Mankato on Good Friday, April 6, 2012 from Lewy Body Dementia.

Memorial services will be held Wednesday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m. with Rev. Dawn Carder officiating at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary 2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato, Minnesota. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the mortuary. A Memorial Mass will be held later this month at Holy Family Church 1715 Izard Street, Omaha, Nebraska.

Ron was born to George and Clara (Windels) Bluvas on December 9, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska, the fourth of eight children. He graduated from St. Mary's grade school in 1961 and from South Omaha High School in 1965. He attended University of Nebraska at Omaha and did a tour of duty with the United States Air Force. He married Barbara Keating in 1969 with whom he had two daughters and divorced amicably in 1989. He earned a Bachelor of Science in 1986 and a Master of Science in 1992 both in Elementary Education from Mankato State University.

Ron taught fifth grade at Hoover Elementary School in North Mankato for twenty years and was active in the Minnesota Valley Uniserve of the Minnesota Education Association. Ron loved music and was an accomplished guitar player. He spent 40 years gracing church services, classrooms and backyard bonfires with his upbeat songs and gifted voice.

He enjoyed golfing, water skiing, dancing and travelling. Many summers he spent visiting family and friends from Texas to Nebraska to California. He camped all across the country and always knew where to find the best chocolate malts.

He was a man of many talents: he coached his daughters' sports teams, he could build a house from scratch, and he always had a beautiful garden. He had a brain for facts and trivia and loved to teach history and play chess.

Above all, spending time with his grandchildren was his true joy. As his nephew wrote, shortly after his passing, "He was wonderful and did wonderful things"the good he gave to this world was excellent." Ron will be frequently thought of, dearly remembered and greatly missed.

Ron is survived by his daughters, Lori Bluvas and Bill Weeks of Redwood City, California and Carrie and Paul Juarez of Spring, Texas; three grandchildren, Jacob Ti-Hao Chen and Anna Marie Weeks of Redwood City, California and Paul Alexander Juarez of Spring, Texas; brother, George Bluvas of Wisconsin, sister, Marlene Girouard of Virginia; sisters and brothers-in-law, Charlene and Jerry Stender of Omaha, Nebraska, Patricia and Larry Smith of Omaha, Nebraska, Donna and Don Maresch of Crescent, Iowa, Kathy and Ken Sondag of Cary, North Carolina; brother-in-law, Louis Petrovich of Malvern, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, LaRiene Petrovich

The family wishes to especially thank Kevin Jasperson, Steve Miller, and Kirk Rosin, Ron's close friends, and co-teachers who greatly supported him throughout his illness.