ROCHELLE – Martin Ravnaas, 89, of rural Rochelle, after spending the day with his children, went home to his Heavenly Father on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, 2012, concluding a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Martin was born Jan. 24, 1923, on the family farm north of Steward, to Ruth E. (Barnett) and M. William Ravnaas. He took over the family farm operation at the age of 17, after graduating from Steward High School in 1940, since his father was incapacitated in an automobile accident. Martin married Virginia Carmichael on Aug. 17, 1947, at Lindenwood Union Church.

Martin loved the farm, relishing the challenges of producing bountiful crops of corn and soybeans, and raising white faced Herefords and Black Angus cattle to sell as prime beef at the markets.