Ronald Hylland

Date of Birth

Jun 03,1933

Date of Death

Jun 09,2020

Ronald “Ron” Hylland, age 86, of Virgil, passed away June 9, 2020 and leaves not only a collection of memories for his family and friends to cherish, but also collections of every type and size that would make an auctioneer blush.
He was born June 20, 1933 in Fedora, SD, to proud parents, Lloyd and Harriet (Lambert) Hylland.
Ron grew up in Fedora and attended local community schools.
He received a doctorate in the school of “hard knocks” and a work ethic to match, working as a farm hand before entering the United States Army. He served during the Korean War and returned home after his honorable discharge and began working for Miner County Road Department.
Ron met Rose Jean Butt when he moved to Big Rock, IL, in 1956. They were married a year later on November 23, 1957 at S.S. Peter & Paul Church in Virgil. They were blessed with three children, Susan, Timothy and with the arrival of Mary Ellen, their family was complete.
Ron was employed at the Howell Corporation (Burd Inc.) in St. Charles for 24 years. After the closing of Burd Inc., he worked for both Hawley Products and Jarrow Products in St. Charles until his retirement.
Ron was a proud lifetime member of the Maple Park American Legion.
Ron was a man of singular tastes and was generous with gifts as well as conversation. He had the “gift of gab” and loved to tell jokes, and wear hats whose appropriateness, along with his jokes, is up to debate. Ron was an avid collector of many things and was the “king of lawn mowers, boasting of over 40 tractors. Some of them even worked….after a fashion. He loved auctions and garage sales and would often give his “treasures” to family and friends to keep, and some he gave to hide, so Rose wouldn’t know he bought them! Ron loved the outdoors, South Dakota (God’s Country) and planting gardens, though he never mastered actually tending them. A social butterfly, Ron would often visit friends laden with sweet corn and tomatoes, but God help you if you got stuck behind him in traffic. Lines of cars found themselves waiting on Ron to finish watching the “corn grow” as he drove place to place. Ron believed that his true purpose in life was to be the greatest grandpa that ever lived. He spoiled the grandchildren with doughnuts and chocolate milk, and taught them about beans, corn and other pearls of wisdom whether they wanted them or not. A day was not complete until he shared coffee, stories and gossip with his friends and often ended it with a card game or two. Ron left a unique and indelible mark and will never be forgotten.
He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Rose Hylland; three children: Susan (Donald) Clark, Timothy (Constance) Hylland and Mary Ellen Larsen; six grandchildren: Joshua and Justin Hylland, Elizabeth (Cody) Haeffner, Matthew, Brittany and Ashley Larsen; a sister-in-law, Olivia Sauer; several nieces, nephews and a countryside of friends .
He is preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Harriet Hylland and three siblings: Dean and Marlyn Hylland and one sister Marcella who died in infancy.
Private family services have already been held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ron’s memory to the charity of your choice. You may leave tributes and memories on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.

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