Friday, March 7, 2025 | 11:00 AM
Ronald Edward DeCesare passed away peacefully on the evening of February 26th with loved ones and in his home, after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Joyce DeCesare and is now reunited with his beloved wife of 51 years, Marjean (DeCesare) with whom he shared a lifetime of love and memories, having grown up together in Fargo, North Dakota.
Ron was a devoted father to his 3 children: Jeffrey (Ruby) DeCesare, Eden Prairie, MN; Karen (Bill) Doll, Edina, MN; Brian (Cosette) DeCesare, Edina, MN; and proud grandfather to 11 grandchildren: Michael (Danielle), Thomas (Caroline), Rachel, Maria, Theresa, and Genevieve DeCesare; Stephen, Sophia, AJ, Josie, and Lisa Doll.
He is also survived by his sisters Carol (Larry) Goode and Mary Ellen (Bob) McDougall and brother Bill (JoEllyn) DeCesare.
Ron dedicated his life to the field of medicine, as a highly respected interventional radiologist. He pursued his passion for knowledge and healing; he attended Johns Hopkins University for undergraduate studies and earned his medical degree from Harvard University. After training at Mayo Clinic and Harvard, his distinguished career was spent at Suburban Radiologic Consultants. Highlights included serving as Chief of Staff at Fairview Hospital and President of Suburban Radiology, as well as being a leading pioneer in innovative imaging. He practiced medicine with compassion and skill, intensely devoted to his patients and team members.
Ron embodied a compelling paradox. At his core, he was a simple man who preferred stability and predictability, resisting change in many aspects of life. Yet, this very grounding allowed him to be a visionary when it came to seeking out new adventures while establishing long-standing traditions.
His love for the familiar - family, friends, and the rituals that bring them together - fueled his desire to create meaningful experiences to be spent with others. In doing so, he touched many lives.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ron loved being at the Fireside Lake Wisconsin cabin with extended family, enjoying time in Naples, Florida, and attending his grandchildren's events.
His legacy includes countless hunting trips, from deer stands in Minnesota and Wisconsin to fields in Iowa and South Dakota and the plains of Saskatchewan. He earned the name "Old Veteran" of duck sloughs, pheasant fields, and deer and turkey blinds. His worldwide expeditions also included fishing trips to the Canadian lakes, Alaska, Brazil, Australia, and Guatemala.
He loved sharing these outdoor adventures with his brother Bill, close friends, relatives, sons, grandchildren, and his best friend Stoney (Jim), who was the subject of many favorite stories.
These experiences culminated in developing his farm, which he affectionately named Deer Mountain Ranch, a testament to his love of the outdoors.
Most importantly, he cherished his role as "Grandpa Ron" and found the greatest joy spending time with family and bringing people together. These lasting memories have united and inspired his family for generations to come.
We will remember Ron by re-telling the same stories and laughing just as hard each time.
Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 PM on Thursday, March 6th at Washburn-McReavy, 7625 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie, with memory sharing from 6:15-7:00 PM.
The Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, March 7th at Our Lady of Grace, with visitation at 10:00am.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorials to Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Ronald Edward DeCesare please visit our Sympathy Store.
