Ronald W. Chyrklund

Ronald Wayne Chyrklund Jr.June 8, 1974 – January 15, 2026

Ronald Wayne Chyrklund Jr. passed away due to natural causes on January 15, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Ron was one of those people you couldn’t really sum up in a few neat sentences. He was complicated, stubborn, funny, flawed, and deeply human. Life didn’t always go the way he planned, and neither did he, but he lived it his way, whether anyone understood it or not.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruby Mandrey (Benjamin); his stepfather, Joe Mandrey; and his brother, Sean Eddy.

He is survived by his daughter, Allee Gates (Chyrklund). He is also survived by his brothers, Dan Lippincott and Todd Lippincott, as well as many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Ron was good at one thing: selling cars. He worked as a car salesman at multiple dealerships across the Iron Range, and if you talked to him long enough, you’d probably end up knowing more about trucks, engines, and financing than you ever asked for.

He loved football, especially the Minnesota Vikings, and watching games in his garage “man cave” with his brother Sean, Fred, and whatever friends happened to wander in that day. He loved boating and fishing, and some of his favorite memories were of the annual guys’ trips to the Mille Lacs area, a tradition that meant more to him than he ever let on.

He also enjoyed spending time at Vene Qua Bar, a local place where he shared many laughs, conversations, and memories with friends.

Music was one of his deepest passions, and it became one of the ways he showed love when words failed him. He passed that love on to his daughter, creating a bond that will always exist, even now.

Ron was not perfect. But he was real. And in the end, that mattered.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, starting at 4:00 PM, located at Vene-Qua Bar, 201 N 1st St, Keewatin, MN 55753.