Ronald F. Alter, 85, of Blair, died June 28, 2018, at Life Care Center in Elkhorn. Per his wishes, his body has been donated to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. A private family service is planned.

Ronald Franklin Alter was born April 12, 1933, in Omaha to Franklin and Karen (Gottschalk) Alter. He was a 1951 graduate of South High School in Omaha. It was at South High that he would meet the love of his life, Pauline Billings. They dated until she graduated and, on Oct. 1, 1953, they were married.

Ron served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army in El Paso during the Korean War. After he was honorably discharged, they moved back to Omaha where he worked in the veterinary supply business for almost 25 years. He later worked in sales and marketing in a variety of fields, ranging from airplane deicers to specialized building components.

Around 1986, the couple bought 21 acres of farmland, west of Fort Calhoun, where they built their retirement home. The pair did all the finish work on the home. He was a self-taught woodworker and had a wonderful eye for details. They also planted hundreds of Christmas trees and sold them from their acreage. They especially enjoyed the wildlife that visited.

Ron was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, where he had served as financial secretary and was a volunteer at many events.

He was a patient, honest man with an occasionally sarcastic sense of humor. He often claimed to “put up” with the animals brought home by his wife and daughters but, in reality, he took great enjoyment in the many pets that lived with them.

Above all, he is remembered as a man who adored his family above all things. There was no sports team, hobby, or activity that he was more interested in than the exploits and accomplishments of his family.

He is survived by his wife, Polly; daughters and sons-in-law, Michelle and Jim Price of Omaha, and Melissa and Phillip Rice of Blair; grandchildren and spouses, Annie and Mark Feldman, and sons, Allan and Anthony, and Aaron and Sarah Price, and daughter, Isabella, all of Omaha; Sydney Rice and Seth Fergus of Blair; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Paul and Pat Billings of Omaha; other family and friends.

Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library.~~~