James Randgaard

James D. Randgaard, age 68, of St. Cloud, MN, formerly of Staples, MN, died Sunday, April 22, 2001, at the St. Cloud Hospital. Services are scheduled for Thursday, April 26th, at 1:00 PM, at Faith Lutheran Church in Staples, with Reverend Allan L. Bjorklund of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud, MN, and Reverend Stephen Sveom and Reverend Bradley Skogen officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Wednesday evening, from 5 to 8 PM, at the Brenny Funeral Home in Staples. Arrangements are with the Brenny Funeral Home in Staples. James D. Randgaard was born on September 12, 1932, in Benson, Minnesota, to James G. and Hazel M. (Anderson) Randgaard. He attended elementary school in Benson and graduated from Staples High School in 1950. Following graduation, he attended the Minnesota School of Business, and then St. Cloud State College. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. Jim married Ramona M. Buchner on July 4, 1954, at Our Redeemer?s Lutheran Church in Benson. After college, he worked with his father in the theater business in Staples and Verndale. From 1959 to 1966, he worked at the Staples State Bank. He then worked for a year at the Valley National Bank in Phoenix, AZ, before returning to the Staples bank, where he remained until September, 1986. He served as vice-president and as a Director of the bank for a number of years. He began having serious kidney problems and was unable to work. He finally went on dialysis in December, 1989. In November, 1991, he had a kidney transplant that lasted until the transplant failed in August, 1996. He returned to the St. Cloud Hospital for dialysis and he and his wife moved to Waite Park in May, 1991.
Jim had been a member of the following: Crescent Lodge #207, past Master, Secretary-Treasurer; AAD Shrine Temple, Duluth; Orchid Chapter #94, Order of Eastern Star; Scottish Rite, Duluth; American Legion, both in Staples and Waite Park; Staples Chamber of Commerce, past Treasurer; Staples Lions Club, past President, Zone and Deputy District Governor; United Fund, past President; Salvation Army for 17 years; Terrace Golf Club, Board member and Secretary-Treasurer; Evergreen Hill Cemetery Board, past President; Staples Development Corporation; Faith Lutheran Church, Treasurer for 21 years; and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud.

Jim is survived by his wife, Ramona; their sons, David Randgaard of Paynesville, MN and Steven (Wanda) Randgaard of Red Wing, MN; granddaughter, Kendra, of Red Wing; sister, Carol (Rev. Martin) Langemo of Little Falls, MN; brother, Roger Randgaard of Staples; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Dick; and a sister, Judy.