The funeral service for Ronald J. Bolinger will be at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. The Rev. Kip Groettum will officiate. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Franklin.

He passed away at Seasons Hospice in Rochester Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the age of 64. He had been battling cancer for the last 4 1/2 years.

Ronald Jay Bolinger was born May 24, 1950, in Albert Lea. He was the only child of James and Hazel (Jasperson) Bolinger. He was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1968. He then enrolled at St. Olaf College in Northfield, graduating with a degree in music education in May 1972.

While at St. Olaf he met Ann Marie Larson and they were married May 30, 1972, at Boe Memorial Chapel on the St. Olaf campus.

In the fall of 1972 he enrolled at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He graduated with a master of divinity degree in May 1976 and was ordained into pastoral ministry at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea June 6, 1976. His first call was to Grace Lutheran in Driscoll, North Dakota, where he began serving in June 1976. Subsequent calls were to Zion Lutheran in Beulah, North Dakota from 1979 to 1982; United Lutheran Church in Red Wing from 1982 to 1988; Faith Lutheran in Hoyt Lakes from 1988 to 1997; and St. Peter Lutheran in Rockwell, Iowa, from 1997 to 2009. He then served part-time at Emmanuel Lutheran in Grafton, Iowa, from 2010 to 2012. The love and support he and his family received in each of these congregations was a gift beyond measure.

Music was always a huge part of Ron’s life. He began taking piano lessons from a relative at age 6 and organ lessons at age 12. He sang in choir while in high school and worked as a church organist. In college Ron was privileged to sing with the St. Olaf choir under Kenneth Jennings. He travelled to Europe with the choir in 1970 and again in 1972 when the choir was the featured choir at the Strasburg Music Festival in France. That trip was also his and Ann’s honeymoon! After college he sang with the Dale Warland Singers for two years. In North Dakota he sang with the Bismarck-Mandan Chorale, in Red Wing with the Madrigal Singers (appearing on a “A Prairie Home Companion” with Garrison Keillor) and in Rockwell, with the North Iowa Chorale Society. He enjoyed singing with these groups immensely and called it “his therapy.”  Music was where he most often experienced God.

Ron was an avid reader, enjoyed a good cup of coffee, had a small collection of fountain pens and was always interested in photography. He liked to travel and the family had some memorable trips! He enjoyed watching sports, especially those his children participated in. Ron had a soft spot for animals and during their 42 years together, he and Ann rescued and gave homes to six dogs and seven cats.

After retiring from full-time ministry, he and Ann moved to their dream home, an acreage in New Haven Township near Pine Island. Here they enjoyed their new neighbors, woods and wildflowers, the turkeys and deer and — especially — the birds. In Pine Island they found a new church home at St. Paul Lutheran. For the first time in a very long time, Ron was again the person in the pew. He appreciated the fine sermons and gracious fellowship extended to him by the Revs. Kip Groettum, John Lohre, Gary Wees and Dave Peterson. He enjoyed being with the members of St. Paul who welcomed him into worship, the choir and adult Bible study.

Ron is survived by his wife, Ann; their three children, Erin (Steve) Rozier, Elizabeth Bolinger and Ethan (Kendra Wong) Bolinger; his cousin, Kent (Julie) Jasperson; his sister and brother-in-law Kathy Larson and Gordon Flett; and special friends Gladys (Nana) Anderson,  Liz Michael Davis, Kaylee Michael and Godson Kaleb Michael Davis.

Memorials are suggested to the Nature Conservancy, Rowe Sanctuary Platte River Audubon Society, Minnesota Greyhound Rescue, St. Olaf choir, Pine Island school music department or the Albert Lea Peace and Power Lutheran Television Ministries.

Mahn Family Funeral Home –Mahler Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Friends may share a memory at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.