Colonel (retired) Ronnie Bjarne Rondem passed away from a years-long battle with cancer. He was born in Oslo, Norway, during World War II. He immigrated with his parents in 1955 and lived in Brooklyn, New Jersey and Manchester, New Hampshire before enlisting in the US Army. He served as a medic before completing Infantry Officer Candidate School and becoming a Second Lieutenant. He served in Vietnam as a Platoon Leader with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade (Sep) and after an assignment in the US he returned to Vietnam and served as a Company Commander with the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He left active duty in 1972 and completed his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1973. He was employed in Human Resources positions with several oil & gas oriented companies before retiring from Colonial Pipeline Company in Atlanta in 2000. Concurrently he served in the Texas National Guard and the US Army Reserves, being recalled to active duty for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, subsequently retiring as a Colonel in 1996. His numerous decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with an oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal. He also was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Parachutist Badge. He was inducted into the Infantry Officer Candidate Hall of Honor in 1992. Colonel Rondem was predeceased by his wife of 28 years, Colonel Debbie Rondem, his sister Lynne and his parents, Tor and Nan. He is survived by two daughters, Monika Rondem Stebel and her husband Robert of Jacksonville, FL, with granddaughter Madeline, and Jannette Rondem of Humble, TX, with grandsons Brannon and Daniel. He is also survived by his son Christopher Rondem and wife Katie of Salt Lake City, UT. Additionally, he is survived by his niece Lisbet Todd and husband Bill Todd, and by his nephew Erik Maher, all of New Jersey. He is also survived by his wife of three years, Julie Rondem.

Visitation will be from 6pm to 8pm at the Northside Chapel on Crabapple Road in Roswell, GA on Tuesday January 30th. Services will be held on Wednesday January 31st, with a funeral service from 10:30am to 11:30am at the Northside Chapel on Crabapple Road in Roswell, GA and a military honors service to follow at the Georgia National Cemetery at 1:30pm.

The family requests donations in lieu of flowers to the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association Foundation.

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