Ralph "Doc" James Ganz

Ralph “Doc" Ganz passed away peacefully on October 11, 2026, at Quiet Oaks Hospice House, St. Cloud, MN, surrounded by his children. He was 99. A visitation will take place from 4:00 – 6:00 PM on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes in St. Cloud. Services will begin at 6:00 PM on Friday at the funeral home. Arrangements are entrusted to Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes.

Doc lived a life defined by independence, service, curiosity, and adventure. As a young man, he hitchhiked and rode freight cars extensively throughout the United States, working on farms, fishing boats, wheat harvests, ore boats, and building bridges along the way. His curiosity about people and places never diminished, and in later years he and his wife Donna traveled to Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Brazil.

Education was one of his core values. A graduate of Swanville High School, he later became part of the first class of men admitted to Rockford College in Rockford, Illinois. In 1963, he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota.

For 56 years, Doc practiced veterinary medicine with distinction, retiring at the age of 92. Known as an exceptional diagnostician, he cared for countless animals while educating farmers, mentoring future veterinarians, and inspiring young people through 4-H and community programs. His commitment to animal welfare extended beyond his clinic. He served as veterinarian for the Benton County Fair, helped establish the Tri-County Humane Society, and worked alongside law enforcement as a special sheriff's deputy investigating animal cruelty and neglect cases. He also served on the St. Cloud Board of Health and was a long-time member of the St. Cloud Granite Rotary.

The arts and nature were lifelong passions. He served on the St. Cloud Symphony Board, hosted gatherings featuring classical music, and enjoyed theater, museums, opera, ballet, and annual performances of A Christmas Carol. An avid hunter, fisherman, boater, and birdwatcher, he remained active outdoors well into his nineties.

Above all, Doc treasured his family and friends. He is survived by his three children, Jeffrey (Lyrae) Ganz, Rice, MN; Bethany (Douglas) Leonard, Pewaukee, WI; and Heather (John) Poduska, Winchester, MA; his stepdaughters, Cheryl Pangrel, Spooner, WI; Laurie Haney (Tom), Pine City, MN; LuAnn Pangrel, Blaine, MN; and Chris Henschel (Dave), Laporte, MN, and 8 grandchildren.

Doc was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Donna Ganz, his parents, Herman and Johanna, his brothers, Carlisle, Lawrence, Norman “Bud”, Raymond, his sister, Alice Noren, and his half-sisters, Zelda (McKibbin) Sparks, Gladys (McKibbin) Gamil, Mary (Babe) McKibbin.

His legacy lives on through the animals he cared for, the organizations he helped build, the community he strengthened, and the generations he inspired.

We want to thank Quiet Oaks Hospice for the care they provided Doc. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Quiet Oaks Hospice.