Fairways, Family, and Faithful Service: Remembering Ron Grunewald

Fairways, Family, and Faithful Service: Remembering Ron Grunewald

By Kenyon Kemnitz

On a warm afternoon in late June, family, lifelong friends, and fellow veterans arrived in steady waves at Sunset Ridge in Johnson Creek for a sacred tradition. Rainbow Community Care had organized a veteran pinning ceremony to honor patient Ron Grunewald. For a man whose entire life was defined by quiet devotion, unwavering work ethic, and deep love for family, the gathering carried meaning far beyond a ceremonial lapel pin.

By the time the event began, three generations of stories, laughter, and quiet reflection filled every corner of the room. Stepping forward to lead the honor was Ron’s grandson, Dietrich Mattison. As a student at the University of Colorado Boulder enrolled in the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class, Dietrich represented the next generation of military service. With his departure for rigorous Officer Candidate School training scheduled just days later, the timing was nothing short of miraculous. Standing face-to-face with his grandfather, Dietrich was not just honoring a veteran—he was celebrating a family legacy that had inspired his own path of service.

"It felt amazing, just a really cool, full-circle moment for me to be able to pin him and recognize his service," Dietrich reflected after the ceremony. "I remember listening to my grandpa's stories about his service growing up, so it was cool to see that someone in my family had done that before me."

Ron’s service began in the late 1960s with the Army National Guard before he transitioned to the Air National Guard at Madison’s Truax Field to serve as a mechanic. While he kept the heavier details of military life to himself, he occasionally shared lighthearted glimpses of those years with his family. He would reminisce about donut runs during quiet Guard shifts, but he also recalled the sheer grit required during basic training. Even when he was shivering and battling illness, Ron pushed through grueling physical drills, instilling a mental toughness that would shape the rest of his life.

It was during those years that Ron met the woman who would become his wife and partner for the next 56 years.

"His goal was to be finished with the Guards before we got married," Carol recalled with a smile. "I think his last weekend was the weekend right before we got married."

The couple built a life rooted in hard work, devotion, and deep family ties, values that would define Ron’s legacy long after his military service ended.

With his time in the Guard complete, Ron turned his passion for the outdoors into a dedicated career in golf course management. He began working at Lake Mills Golf Club as a teenager before earning a certificate in Turfgrass Management from Penn State. After managing golf courses across Wisconsin, including 16 years at Lake Windsor, Ron took over at Watertown Country Club in 1980. There, he spent nearly 25 years as Greens Superintendent, caring for the fairways and grounds he loved until retiring in 2004.

For most golfers, the smooth greens and rolling fairways are simply a backdrop for a quick round on the course. But Ron saw them as his canvas, shaped by early mornings, dedicated craftsmanship, and a strong work ethic. In retirement, he finally got to enjoy playing the game he loved, highlighted by the rare milestone of shooting a 76 at age 76.

Throughout his career, Ron set the standard for leadership. His daughter, Amy Mattison, saw those qualities up close while working alongside her father on the greens.

"I know firsthand what a hard worker he is and how he expects his greens crew to be the same," Amy shared. "He did not tolerate work that was sloppy or incomplete, but he never scolded or shamed anyone. He was clear with his expectations.”

Together, Ron and Carol passed those same values and quiet discipline on to their children, Robbie and Amy. Today, that legacy extends far beyond the golf course through their four grandchildren, Elliott, Dietrich, Koen, and Sena.

Bringing family and friends together for the ceremony required significant coordination and effort, but Carol was determined to make it happen. Loved ones traveled from across the country to celebrate Ron and support one another during a challenging time.

"We may live far apart, but we are close,” Amy said. “It was a difficult transition for my dad to move to memory care and hospice so having almost everyone together was truly special."

The distance faded the moment everyone came together. Bound by years of memories and a shared purpose, family and friends filled the room to offer Ron their love and support.

For Rainbow social worker Taylor Zamzow, being part of the gathering was a powerful reminder of the heart of their mission.

"The day was filled with proud smiles, laughter, and endless stories that will now be one of the final memories family can hold onto," Taylor shared. "It was such an honor to be included in this special moment, and these opportunities are why we do this work."

Carol’s connection to Rainbow Community Care stretches back decades, having served as a weekend nurse with the nonprofit provider early in its history. Receiving an angel pin—a tradition honoring the spouses of military veterans—created a meaningful full-circle moment as Rainbow recognized not only Ron's military service, but also Carol's devotion throughout his journey.

As the pinning began, a respectful silence fell over the room. Ron’s health had limited his ability to communicate verbally, but as Dietrich stood before him, words were unnecessary. Witnessing a future Marine Corps officer place the pin on an Army and Air National Guard veteran transformed the ceremony into a powerful expression of pride, gratitude, and family tradition.

"There are not many opportunities like this in life, when a grandchild can honor a grandparent," Amy said. "The ceremony was a way in which my dad could communicate his pride for what Dietrich is pursuing."

When Dietrich presented the companion pin to his grandmother, the moment resonated deeply with everyone gathered for the ceremony.

Just two weeks after the room erupted in applause for Ron, he passed away peacefully at the Rainbow Inpatient Center.

While his passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the lives of Carol, Amy, Dietrich, and all who knew him, the memory of that June afternoon serves as an enduring comfort. In his final weeks, Ron was not only surrounded by the compassionate care of the organization his wife once helped nurture, but he was wrapped in the warmth of three generations of family and lifelong friends.

Ron Grunewald was never a man of loud speeches or grand declarations. Instead, he will be remembered through the lives he touched, the family he cherished, and the example he set through a lifetime of service. His life was not defined by grand monuments, but by quiet, lasting moments. As Dietrich begins his own military journey, Ron's legacy of quiet strength and dedication will live on across future generations.