Banse, Randall Joe (RJ)

Randall Joe Banse (RJ) of Marine on St. Croix, Minn., made his final toast to life on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2012, surrounded by his loving family. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday, March 9, at St Jude's Catholic Church, 50 Edgewood Rd. NW, Cedar Rapids. The Rev. Mark Reasoner will preside. Family and friends will be present at 10:30 a.m. with a celebration of his life at noon. Internment will immediately follow at Hala Cemetery, near Swisher, Iowa.

RJ was born March 7, 1958, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of Robert and Edna Banse. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1976. RJ settled in the Twin Cities and on Oct. 3, 1988, he married Kate Kettner at The Little Brown Church in Vail, Iowa. His spirit will live on through his children, Lindsay Ramsey (Leon Dehnke), Brady Banse (Dena Webber), Ben Banse and granddaughter, Madeline Jo, whom he adored.

RJ's early professional career was in retail. He worked at Armstrong's in Cedar Rapids and then Marshalls and Target in the Twin Cities, where RJ and Kate first met. In later years, he sold real estate for Coldwell Banker Burnett in Stillwater, Minn.

RJ's greatest gift and our life long treasure was his acceptance and unconditional love of others. He perfected the art of listening through his actions; a visit, a phone call, something cherry, something chocolate, a cup of coffee or occasionally something stronger or as he preferred all of the above.

RJ was a gentle unpretentious man, a devoted husband, generous provider for his family, supportive and nurturing father, grandfather and treasured friend. He had an infectious spirit and lived his life to the fullest, he was truly unstoppable.

Over the years RJ found many ways to give back to his community. He was a paraprofessional and PTA President at Scandia Elementary School. He volunteered for Muscular Dystrophy for 15 plus years. He was board president and was recipient of the Poliachik Humanitarian award in 2008. Even through his illness, he found the strength to volunteer at the Jacksonville Cancer Center.

RJ was preceded in death by his mother, Edna (Svoboda) Banse; and survived by his father, Robert Banse; brothers, Tom (Karen) Banse, Robert (Jo) Banse and Ronald (Engra) Banse; sister, Anne (Adam) Miller; and many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Memorials are being accepted in RJ's honor for the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library, Muscular Dystrophy Association and CaringBridge.

Published in The Gazette March 4, 2012.