Ronald Zottnick Obituary

Ronald Rudolph Zottnick, 89, passed away on March 5, 2022 at his home, surrounded by his family, following complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Ronald was born April 4, 1932, on a farm near Braddock, North Dakota, to Christina (Hehn) and Henry Zottnick. He was the youngest of six children. Ron spent his childhood years in Braddock until the family moved to Edgeley, North Dakota in 1946. He graduated from Edgeley High School in 1950 and went on to attend Jamestown College in Jamestown, ND for his first year of college. In 1951, Ron was drafted into the army and was stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He returned to college after the army where he attended North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota St University), graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1957.
Ronald met the love of his life, Dorothy (Carlson) in Edgeley during the summer of 1954. They married June 30, 1957 at Zion Lutheran Church in Edgeley. Soon after they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they spent their entire married life of over 64 years. Ron spent his career working at Sandia National Laboratories beginning in 1957 and retiring in 1994.
Throughout life, Ron loved sports. He golfed, skied, played basketball and softball. He participated in these well into his later years. His greatest sports passion though, was baseball. He played it, coached it, taught it, and never stopped participating in it. He played American Legion, high school, college and military ball. He was drafted professionally twice, once by the Milwaukee Braves and once by the New York Yankees. Ron spent a good deal of his time coaching his sons, as well as many other young men at Roadrunner Little League. He later helped coach the Mets in the summer semi-pro league in Albuquerque.
Ron is preceded in death by his parents, sister Irene, brothers William (Vera) and Ernie (Irene), and his son, Kirk. Ron is survived by his wife Dorothy, sons Kerry (Lynn) and Kyle (Crystal), sisters Ruby (Ted) Mueller and Helen Zottnick, grandchildren Kelsey, Sean, Katie, Nathan, Keith, and Shane, sister-in-law Norma Hill, brother-in-law Ronald (Karen) Carlson, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff at Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Right at Home assisted care, and Roadrunner Hospice for providing care during Ron’s last couple of weeks of life. Ron will be interred at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.