Ron Fiedler

MIDDLETON-Ronald R. “Ron” Fiedler took the highway to Heaven on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, at the age of 86, with his family by his side. He was born on Nov. 22, 1932, in Green Bay, the second son of Vere L. and Grace E. (Haase) Fiedler. Ron lived in Green Bay until the family moved to Madison in 1949. He began his sophomore year at Madison West High School and graduated in 1951. Ron earned letters in football and baseball. He graduated from UW-Madison in 1955, with a degree in Civil Engineering and a ROTC Commission as a second lieutenant. Ron was a member of Sigma Phi fraternity. He became a registered professional engineer in 1957. The day after graduation, he married the love of his life, Joanne “Joni” Morash of Beloit on June 18, and they were married almost 64 years. They have three children, Dr. Brian (Lisa) and their son, Matthew Fiedler of Minn., Jeffrey Fiedler of Hugo, Minn., and daughters, Jade (Justin Brimeyer) of Farmington, Minn. and Jennifer and Ben Troop of Lakeville, Minn., and daughter, Lori Ochalek, and her children, Megan and Thomas of Mequon, Wis. After graduation, Ron took his first position with Inland Steel, Hammond, Ind. In April 1956 he left to honor his two-year ROTC Commission at Ft. Belvoir, Va., where he was stationed for six months. He was honorably discharged and then continued his service in the reserves. He joined Miller-Davis Company of Kalamazoo, Mich., working in both Big Rapids and Kalamazoo. Desiring to return to his home state of Wisconsin, they moved to Waukesha in 1958, where he joined the Department of Transportation. He was promoted to Chief Construction Engineer in District 2 Waukesha in 1965. In 1972, Ron was named the District 1 Director in Madison, and the family moved to Mount Horeb. He resigned from this position in 1978 to join Donohue and Associates, Inc., a Sheboygan based consulting engineers’ firm. Ron started the firm’s Madison office as Manager and Head of Transportation Services. In 1980, Ron was named Vice President of Donohue in Marketing where he served until 1987, when Governor Tommy Thompson selected him to be the Wisconsin Secretary of the Department of Transportation, and he served in the Thompson administration for five years, resigning in 1992 to rejoin Donohue. In 1993, he was offered a position with HNTB and became President of the Great Lakes Division for three years and stayed with HNTB part-time as a Senior Consultant until the mid-2000s Ron received many awards and was an officer of several organizations during his distinguished career including: WSPE Engineer of the Year Award-Waukesha Chapter-1970; WSPE State President 1980-81; 1st Vice President of Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin-1981-82; TDA President 1983-84, receiving the Transportation Service Award; Board of Directors of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce as Vice President of Transportation in the mid 1980s; and President of Mississippi Valley Conference in 1987. He was a member of AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) for which in 1987, he was appointed Chairman of the Standing Committee on Highway Safety. Ron was also elected as State WSPE Engineer of the Year in 1990; served as Alternate to Governor Thompson on the Board of Directors of Amtrack; and received the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advocate of the Year Award in 1992 and the Wisconsin Road Builders Association Award of Excellence in 1994, along with many other awards, too numerous to mention. Ron was a member of St Luke’s Lutheran Church in Middleton, and a member of Bascom Hill Society. After retirement, he became a Madison West Kiwanis member, served as a UW Ambassador for the Athletic Department and was Treasurer of his Colorado condominium association for five years. Ron was an avid Packers and Badgers fan. He enjoyed his PGA group (poorest golfers available), skiing with his family, biking, playing bridge, and traveling with Joni around the world to many destinations, including Russia, China, the Mediterranean Sea, South America and Australia, along with several river cruises. Ron and Joni also had a second home in Keystone, Colo., where they enjoyed skiing into their 80’s. Ron is also survived by sister-in-law, Claudia (John) Brown; sister-in-law, Pat Fiedler; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Grace Anna Fiedler; brothers, Harold and Dean; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Loris and Jack Woll. Funeral services will be held at ST. LUKE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, 7337 Hubbard Ave, Middleton, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, with Pastor Heather Hayward presiding. Burial will be held at Sunset Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Memorials in Ron’s name may be gifted to Madison West Kiwanis, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church or Agrace HospiceCare. Ron was a loving father and devoted grandfather and he will always be remembered in our hearts. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Care 7435 University Ave. (608) 831-6761