Ronald Kelm's Obituary
Ronald William Kelm, 76, of Decatur, IL passed away peacefully on Monday, September 22, 2025. Born on March 12, 1949 to Richard and Patricia (Moriearty) Kelm, Ron was the youngest of 6 children. Ronald proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1969.
In 1970, Ron married the love of his life, Judy Allen, and together they built a life rooted in love and family until her passing in 2015. Ron was a devoted husband and father, always putting his family first, and his greatest joy was being surrounded by his family. He cherished every moment spent with his grandchildren, who brought him immeasurable happiness.
Ron worked as a milkman for over 30 years at Meadow Gold and later Prairie Farms Dairies. He was a faithful member of Pilgrim Lutheran Church for over 53 years, where he served as both an elder and an usher, touching the lives of many with his kindness and faith.
Ron was preceded in death by his mother and father; brothers, Rick and Jerry; sisters, June and Patricia; in-laws, Bill and Edna Allen; and wife, Judy. He is survived and will be greatly missed by his daughters, Peggy (Steve) Musgrove, and Erica (Bob) Meadows both of Niantic; his grandchildren, Emily Musgrove, Will (Jennifer) Bryan, Josh Bryan, Steven Musgrove, Julia Meadows, Justin Meadows, and Jack Meadows; and his brother, Jim Mileham.
A memorial service to celebrate Ron’s life will be held at Pilgrim Lutheran Church on Saturday, September 27th at 10am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pilgrim Lutheran Church.
The family would like to thank the Elara Hospice team and the Synergy Home Health team for their care and kindness during these past few months. We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Pastors Bill, Brock, and Lucas Abbott, as well as our Pilgrim family for their kindness and guidance during these last 7 months.
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