This month, the industry grieves the loss of one of its own. Blueberry industry pioneer, loving husband, and family man, Ron Bodtke passed away at the age of 83 on Saturday morning, May 14, 2016, at his home in Grand Junction, Michigan.

Naturipe Farms announced the loss with great sadness, but chose to take a moment and celebrate his life and his career. Ron was a noteworthy and valuable member of MBG Marketing/Michigan Blueberry Growers Association (MBG) in Grand Junction, MI. But it didn’t begin and end there. Ron’s adventure in blueberry growing began in 1969 when he along with his wife, Phyllis, bought a 12-acre blueberry farm from MBG’s pioneering horticulturist, John W. Nelson. By 1985, the family farm had grown exponentially. Ron welcomed his four children as business partners and formed Cornerstone Ag Enterprises.

Ron’s son, Larry Bodtke, described his father as someone “…who loved. And loved being around people. He was always an encourager of those interested in the same passions that he had, particularly blueberries!”

Ron was a man with vision, as Naturipe shares, and that can be seen in Cornerstone Ag’s continued success as a key producer of organic and conventional blueberries, sold under the Naturipe® brand, from farms across Michigan and the Pacific Northwest.

Kirk McCreary, Former MBG CEO, spoke of Ron fondly, “After I rejoined MBG Marketing in 1995, Ron was the first visitor to my office. He brought me a hammer mounted on a plaque which read, ‘This hammer could be used to tear something down, or build something lasting. Be a builder’. Ron was the true builder.”

With a passionate pioneer’s spirit and a forward thinking drive, Ron recognized the importance of contributing to the industry and being a leader. Ron served as President of both MBG Marketing and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and was instrumental in forming the United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and International Blueberry Organization (IBO).

“Ron’s dedication to the blueberry industry was admired by all and he played a big part in the success of the blueberry business. We all appreciate his contributions over the years. He was a great source to go to when you had questions about the history of our industry. He will definitely be missed by his many friends in the blueberry industry,” said Mark Villata, Executive Director, USHBC.

Among the many honors Ron received during his lifetime were the MBG Marketing Pioneer Award, the Calyx Award for general industry or market development excellence from NABC, and the Distinguished Award to Agriculture from the Michigan Frozen Food Packers Association.

“Ron was a friend to people, not because he agreed with their particular thinking, but because they were a person, in Grand Junction, MI or in Novgorod, Russia or in a coffee shop in the US heartland,” said John Shelford, former Naturipe Farms CEO.

It seems as if Ron never met a stranger and or an acquaintance that he couldn’t make a friend out of, and his friendships, as you can see here, have been abundant.

“Ron was a proud Michigan farmer that made a focused and sustainable contribution to the blueberry industry. He and his wife had an inspiring life commitment to their family while taking on numerous projects of faith and giving,” said Larry Ensfield, CEO of MBG.

Ron is survived by his wife of 63 years, Phyllis, along with their children, Tom (Arlene) Bodtke, Larry (Liana) Bodtke, Pam (Joe) Stafford and Kay (Lupe) Trevino and their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His passion for the industry and legacy continues on through his family and all who knew him.

AndNowUKnow would like to extend our deepest condolences to Ron’s family and friends, as well as all of those affected by his loss, but made better by his life.