Ronald H. "Ron" Palu

Ronald H. “Ron” Palu, 72, of Grand Island, died Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, at CHI Health Saint Francis in Grand Island. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island. The Revs. Marty Egging and Joseph Kadaprayil will concelebrate the Mass. Inurnment will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Grand Island, with graveside military honors by the United States Army and the United Veterans Honor Guard. Visitation will be Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, with a 6 p.m. vigil service. Social distancing will be followed and face masks are required for the visitation, vigil and Mass. The Mass will be livestreamed on Peters Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link for that page is www.facebook.com/PetersFuneralHomeSP. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family. Ron was born on March 15, 1948, at Loup City, the son of Harry W. and Madeline D. (Kuszak) Palu. He grew up on farms in the Loup City area, attended Sherman County rural schools and graduated from Loup City High School in 1966. He proudly served in the United States Army from May 1968 to May 1970. He was united in marriage to Janis M. Shotkoski on Oct. 12, 1968, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island. Other than time spent in Germany while Ron was in the military, the couple lived their entire married lives in Grand Island where they raised their two sons. Ron began working for New Holland in 1966 and retired from there in 2003, after 37 years of service. He and Janis also owned and operated Rhino Linings in Grand Island from 1996 to 2009. In retirement, Ron purchased a small farm in Sherman County. He was in heaven spending time on his farm and driving one of his five tractors. He was a member of Resurrection Catholic Church in Grand Island and was a member of both the Loup City and Grand Island American Legion Posts. He is survived by his wife, Janis of Grand Island; sons, Alan Palu and Tina Packard of Casper, WY and Clint Palu of Alda; four grandchildren, Avery Palu, Chase Lapp, Halle Palu and Conor Palu; his mother, Madeline Palu of Loup City; brother and sister-in-law, Terry and Yvonne Palu of Loup City; a “third son”, Tim and Kristen Kosmicki of Sioux City, IA; Janis’ siblings and spouses, John Shotkoski of Lincoln, Pat Opp of Wood River, Tom and Jacque Shotkoski of Lincoln, Rosie Dooley of Wood River, Kathy Bydalek of Kearney and Joyce and Randy Rowley of Grand Island; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Harry Palu; and Janis’ sister and brothers-in-law, Virginia and Pat Pokorski, Bill Opp, Tom Dooley and Danny Bydalek. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.