Ronda S. Spanel
Funeral service for Ronda S. Spanel, 56, of Norfolk will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 23, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church in Norfolk. Pastor Neal Gately will be officiating the service. Interment will be held at the Prospect View Cemetery in Norfolk. Visitation will be 4:00 - 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 22, at the Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk. A time for sharing memories with family and friends will begin at 6:30 p.m. following the visitation. Ronda passed away with her family by her side on Friday, June 17, 2022 at her residence in Norfolk. Stonacek Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Ronda was born on November 24, 1965, to Ron and Shirley (Mickey) Baker and grew up in Stromsburg, NE. She spent most of her childhood on the Baker family homestead just south of town, and graduated from Stromsburg High School in 1984. She went on to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she met her husband Jim Spanel. The couple married at Grand Island St. Mary’s Cathedral on March 21, 1987. Ronda graduated from UNL with a degree in elementary education in 1988. She and Jim then moved to Enid, Oklahoma, where she taught 4th grade. After the birth of the couple’s son AJ in 1990, the family moved to Norfolk, NE where their daughter Ellie was born in 1992. Both Ronda and Jim continued to live and work in Norfolk as teachers for the Norfolk Public School system. Ronda also went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane College, and eventually specialized as a reading teacher. Those who knew Ronda well described her as a sincerely generous, thoughtful, and loving woman. She enjoyed making connections with her students and co-workers, and always treasured time spent with her family. She loved fishing, watching (and quoting) movies, and going on walks.
Ronda is survived by husband Jim Spanel, son AJ (Morgan) Spanel of Norfolk, daughter Ellie (Parker) Van Roy of Omaha, grandsons Brooks Spanel and soon-to-be-born Luke Van Roy, mother Shirley Baker of Stromsburg, brother Craig (Lillian) Baker of Juniata, sister Teri (Lindsey) Freeman of Stromsburg, sister Coleen (Kevin) Cuda of Omaha and a host of other beloved family members. She was preceded in death by her father Ronald Baker and infant sister Michele Baker.
Ronda was passionate about providing every opportunity for her students to succeed in reading. She was an advocate of the Delivering Infinite Book Shelves (DIBS) For Kids Program, which is a 501(C)(3) Nonprofit headquartered in Omaha, NE. DIBS provides books for children to take home every school night to allow for in-home reading experiences that are indispensable to their learning. Please consider donating to the DIBS fund in honor of Ronda. If you would like the funds to go directly to students at Washington Elementary there is a place to specify this in the notes section of the website provided below.
You can also donate through the DIBS website with this link if you would prefer. https://www. dibsforkids.org/donate/#donate
Cash or check can also be mailed to:
DIBS for Kids
1111 North 13th Street, Suite 426
Omaha, NE 68102
You can also donate in honor of Ronda and the millions of others impacted by breast cancer at https://www.bcrf.org
Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www. stonacekfuneralchapel.com.
