ELKHART -- Ronald Eugene "Ronnie" Feller, 77, of Elkhart, died at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday (April 15, 2009) in Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, of complications from heart surgery.

He was born Nov. 20, 1931, in Findlay, Ohio, to Irvan A. and Evelyn (Lape) Feller. On Sept. 6, 1957, he married Nancy May Eggleston in Goshen. She died in 1984.

Mr. Feller is survived by two sons, Timothy A. (Pam A.) Feller and Ronald J. Feller, both of Elkhart; two grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; three great-grandsons; and three sisters, Ladorna Swackhammer of Hendersonville, N.C., Olive Fink of Edmund, Okla., and Alice Bowman of Findlay.

Two sons, Jeffrey and Michael Feller, preceded him in death, along with four siblings, James and Lenore Feller, Irene Hilty and Sarah Howard.

Mr. Feller was a heavy equipment operator and supervisor for the street department of the city of Elkhart for nearly 30 years. He retired in 1994. He helped build the toll road in the late 1950s, was an avid railroad enthusiast and a collector of American Flyer S gauge electric model trains, and all kinds of bells.

He was an outdoorsman, enjoyed fishing, relaxing in his camper at Cass Lake and caring for his Rocky Mountain breed mare, Rocky. Mr. Feller had been helping his children build a barn when he became too ill to continue.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to the 11 a.m. funeral service Monday, all at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart. Bishop Shaun Huxford of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will officiate. Burial will follow in Prairie Street Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to United Cancer Services of Elkhart County. Visit www.billingssfuneralhome.com to send online condolences.