Ron was the oldest child of four, born to Erie Loren “Chub” and Genevieve (Ellis) Hackler on August 11, 1943 in El Dorado, Kansas. He passed away January 21, 2018 at his home in Cassoday, KS, having reached the age of 74 ½ years. He attended Chelsea Grade School and graduated from Cassoday High School in 1961. On February 11, 1967 he was united in marriage to Sondra Sue Shelton at the Park Avenue Church in El Dorado. In 1969 they welcomed home Scott and in 1971 they welcomed home Staci. In 1972, the couple built their home on his Grandpa and Grandma Hackler’s homestead and remained there to this day. Ron began working for Skelly refinery, in El Dorado, in 1967 and continued to work at the refinery through several company changes. This included Getty, Texaco and then retiring from Frontier in 2008, after 41 years. When not at work in the refinery, Ron raised cattle, put up hay, cut wood, fixed fence, repaired the farm equipment and anything else that needed tended to around the farm. Ron loved being outside, tinkering on things, working in his garden, tending to his new bee colonies, woodworking and recently, constructing new bee hives for Scott and his growing honey bee collection. He was also getting prepared for Staci’s upcoming wedding. He loved to fish and did a little hunting, but recently the hunting was limited to those “darn opossums, raccoons or blue jays”! Ron was known to be a collector of “things” and loved to go to farm auctions for the bargains. If you needed a part for something or a special bolt, Ron probably had it! After retiring in 2008, he and Sondra purchased a motor home and began to travel in the coldest part of the winter and hottest part of the summer. In doing so, they acquired many new friends from all over the country. Ron was an outdoorsman and was more likely outside than in the house. Traveling to the camp spots allowed for him to be outside more often and avoid the extreme hot and cold of Kansas, which he grew to dislike. Ron loved his family and was very proud of their accomplishments. He wasn’t the kind of man to wear his heart on his sleeve, but those around him knew how much he loved and cared for them. He was our provider, our teacher and our Dad, Husband and Friend. He will be missed every day.
Ron is survived by his wife Sondra (of almost 51 years); his son Scott and daughter in law Yolanda, his daughter Staci and her fiancé Steve Raines, grandchildren Dylan and Sydney Hackler, Jake and Kaden Raines and his mother in law Thelda Shelton all of El Dorado. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Joyce Harrison and his father in law Robert N. Shelton.

---

 Service Information