Obituary for Paul L. Ranum

Paul was born April 20, 1936, to Rev. J.L. and Margaret Ranum in Williston, ND. As a child, Paul lived in many towns around the country because of his father’s calls to pastoral and military service. He went from Ophiem, MT, to Princeton, NJ, to West Hempstead, NY, where his younger brother Peter was born, to Grand Marais, MN, to West Salem, WI, to Hopkins, MN. At an early age he was instilled with a love of travel and new people. He, his brother, and his mother lived with his maternal grandparents in Grand Marais while his father served in WWII.

While in West Salem from 1949 to 1954, he met the love of his life, Marilyn McClintock. After graduating from Luther College in Decorah, IA, with a degree in Social Work in 1959, Paul worked for Winona, MN child welfare. He pursued Marilyn who was teaching second grade in Eau Claire, WI. He proposed on top of the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis. The couple was married by Paul’s father in West Salem on September 3, 1960.

They settled in Crystal, MN where Paul was a medical social worker and Marilyn taught first grade. Paul and Marilyn moved to Lincoln and, with Marilyn’s help writing his papers, he obtained a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska in 1963. They moved to Willmar, MN, where he worked for Lutheran Social Services as a marriage and family counselor.

They were blessed with three sons: David, Steven, and Mark. Paul was always extremely proud of his sons and their families.

In 1966, the family moved to Platteville, WI, where Paul worked as the social worker for Platteville Public Schools. In 1974 he was hired as the Director of the Unified Board of Grant and Iowa counties providing mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services. Marilyn continued her teaching career as a Title One teacher for Platteville Schools. Paul was instrumental in obtaining a permanent location for Wisconsin Badger Camp, where individuals, regardless of the severity of their disability, can realize their full potential, develop friendships, and expand their social skills.

In 1982 Paul took the position of Area Director of Lutheran Social Services for SW Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Marilyn took a position teaching second grade in DeSoto, WI. They lived next to the Mississippi River in a house with a turret that Paul picked out alone in Stoddard, WI. In fact, Marilyn rarely saw the houses they lived in before Paul purchased them!

Paul took early retirement at age 55 to pursue his passion for service to others by volunteering with the Red Cross in disaster relief. He went to over 20 national disaster sites during the next 10 years to help manage the mental and emotional effects of fires, floods, and tornados, and supervise other mental health workers on site. He was called to service just days after 9/11 and flew to New York as the only passenger in a 747, intended as an evacuation plane. He spent three grueling weeks on site as a stress counselor for victims, first responders, and law enforcement officials. In 1996, Paul was honored by the Red Cross and selected to carry the Olympic Torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as it travelled through La Crosse.

In 1996, Paul and Marilyn moved to Grand Marais, MN. For 14 years Paul committed himself to his volunteer work, his church, and his community. Paul also pursued his childhood hobby, fishing the Boundary Waters and Lake Superior. Paul was an almost daily visitor to the public library and loved reading.

Paul was always an avid traveler, including summer vacations filled with camping trips to explore the United States with Marilyn and his sons. With Marilyn’s permission, Paul also travelled extensively around the world, hitchhiking through 10 countries in Europe, visiting Norway and Hawaii with his mother and brother Peter, and visiting Alaska.

Paul and Marilyn returned to West Salem in 2010 to live in their shared hometown. He spent his time with Marilyn in a life enjoying four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Despite some serious health issues during this period, Paul kept the same positive energy and attitude he possessed his entire life.

Paul’s life was in service to Jesus. Instilled by his father and mother with a love of God, he provided true Christian religious leadership by example at home, at work, and in his community. He believed in service through action, taking Matthew 25:34-40 as his life’s mission. He gave to those in need, welcomed strangers, cared for the sick, and did so humbly and in obedience to God. He served in leadership roles at every church he attended and participated in multiple bible studies until his last days. He believed he was truly blessed, in his wife, his family, his career, his volunteer work, and his service to the churches he attended.

In a recent faith statement at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Paul said, “Am I thankful to God? You bet I am. Every day we need to count our blessings and thank God for all he has given us. I am alive and I am a Christian – it doesn’t get any better.”

Paul is survived by Marilyn, his wife of almost 66 years; his brother, Peter; his sons, David (Brenda), Steven, and Mark (Mollie); his four grandchildren, Kelsey (Greg), Kelli (Jerry), Hannah (Chris), and Rylea; and four great-grandchildren, Skylar, Cassidy, Olin, and Inga. He will be missed by countless friends, neighbors, former co-workers, current and former church members, and bible study partners.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 359 Leonard St N, West Salem, WI 54669.

Online condolences may be offered at this site.