Ronald J. Besendorfer

Celebration of Life 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.  Saturday - July 11, 2020 Lamar Coutry Club Ronald Jay Besendorfer, age 52, was tragically taken from us on March 25, 2020 in a motorcycle accident. He was born October 16, 1967 in Boise, Idaho to Marvin Besendorfer and Ellen (Guthrie) Besendorfer.Ron had a zest for life and cherished his family and friends. He enjoyed hunting and sports. He coached football and track, and taught social studies in Nevada, Holden, Carthage, Independence, and Reeds Spring. Later he worked for Farm Bureau, owned Butler’s Deer Processing and was a crane operator.Ron graduated from Lamar high school in 1986 and from Missouri Southern in 1990. Ron married Angie (Phipps) Besendorfer Martin on July 12, 1986. They had two children, Karlie and Madelyne Besendorfer. Ron spent the last several years with Adrienne Lezina where they lived in Chalmette, Louisiana.  Survivors include his two daughters both of Kansas City; his father, Marvin Besendorfer (Cristina); his mother, Ellen Zellmer; siblings, Dan (Carla), Jim (Tana), Larry (Lisa), Dee (Mary), Adam, and Charity Buchanan (Ryan); and Adrienne Lezina, her daughters Olivia and Dru and her grandson Christos. His sister, Sandra Besendorfer, preceded him in death.A memorial service will be scheduled through Daniel Funeral Home in Lamar at a future date to be determined. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Ronald Besendorfer to the Washington University School of Medicine to benefit research of Dr. Cyrus Raji of the Department of Radiology in Alzheimer’s disease and neuroimaging.  Gifts can be made online at, gifts.wustl.edu, or mailed to Attn: Paul Schnabel, Washington University, MSC 1247, 7425 Forsyth Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63105.  For online gifts, please select the School of Medicine, and please enter in the designation box – Dr. Cyrus Raji, Neuroradiology  Section, Department of Radiology. For checks, please make payable to Washington University and enter on the memo line – Dr. Cyrus Raji, Neuroradiology  Section, Department of Radiology.