Rodney Alton Skoog

Rodney Alton Skoog, North Branch, went home to be with his Savior on July 9, 2023 at the age of 87. Rodney was born on July 1st, 1936 to Myer and Nora (Nelson) Skoog at their home in Brainerd, MN. Rodney grew up with a love for hunting, fishing, and sports. Rod attended Washington High School in Brainerd, MN and was a member of the 1954 Warriors state basketball champions. He was elected to the All State All Star Basketball Team. After graduation in 1954, he attended the University of Minnesota on a basketball scholarship and then in February of 1956 he entered into the US Army. Rodney was proud to be a sergeant in the armored tank division and carried that love for tanks throughout his life, and he also served in the National Guard. After serving in the army, Rodney attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter MN, played basketball for his brother Whitey, and received his B.S. in Physical Education and Science in 1961. He later went on to get his master’s degree of Science from Mankato State. Rodney married Sandra Gunderson on July 2,nd 1960 and they made their home in various places finally settling in New Brighton. There, their three children Kari, Mark, and Karen were born. Rodney taught physical education and health and coached various sports in the Mounds View School District for over three decades with the bulk of those years being at Highview Junior High in New Brighton. Rodney loved his fellow teachers and had a passion for his students and athletes. In 1973, Rodney and Sandra purchased a farm in Forest Lake and in addition to teaching, the family ran a dairy farm that eventually became the Black Gold Angus Farm. Rod and Sandra spent many of their retirement years traveling throughout the United States in their fifth wheel camper. They were members of the Minnesota Christian Campers Association. Rodney was an avid bicyclist riding thousands of miles including trips from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Canada to Florida. Rodney was very proud of his Norwegian heritage and truly loved lefse and even lutefisk. He was an expert storyteller and an avid joker. Rodney came to know Jesus as his personal Savior at camp JIM (Jesus is Mine) in Pillager when he was a boy. Rodney longed for his family and friends and everyone he met to know Christ and always enjoyed handing out Bible tracks to anyone he encountered. He was a member of Radisson Road Baptist Church in Ham Lake and attended Sunrise Bible Church after moving to North Branch in August 2022. He loved gospel music and he read his Bible every day until his mind could do it no longer. Rodney entered into heaven after a heartbreaking battle with dementia. Left to remember Rodney is his wife, Sandra of North Branch; daughter, Karen (Jonathan) Wikstrom of Karlstad; daughter, Kari Skoog of Linwood; son, Mark (Suzanne) of Fountain Hills, Arizona; grandchildren, Dru Peterson, Kaitlin (Kristopher Dubbels) Peterson, Rochelle, Heather, and Nicole Skoog, Amber Wikstrom, Cody (Nadine) Wikstrom, Krystal (Henry) Baklund; great-grandchildren, Moriah, Maverick, Zeke, and Xander Wikstrom; Owen and Eleanor Dubbels Peterson; sisters, Claryce Johnson, Ardyth (Gary) Quarnstrom; and countless others. Rodney was preceded in death by his parents, Myer and Nora; siblings, Martin, Arnie, Ruth, Muriel, Clinton, Ronald, Byron, Myer “Whitey”. A celebration of Rodney’s life will be held at Radisson Road Baptist Church, 13627 Radisson Rd NE, Ham Lake, on Saturday, July 15th at 3 pm. Nursery service will be provided, and a meal will follow. Visitation will be from 1-3pm. Rodney’s body will be buried in a brief committal service with military honors at noon on Monday, July 17th at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Camp Ripley near Little Falls. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Radisson Road Baptist Church Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RRBCconnect