Randall Lee Rydberg

Randall Lee Rydberg, 72, formerly of Schaller and Alta, Iowa, and most recently of The Villages, Florida, passed away on May 15, 2026, in the retirement community he discovered by chance and grew to love.

Randall "Randy" Lee Rydberg was born on March 6, 1954, to Dwayne and Carol (Beach) Rydberg in Sac City, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm near Schaller alongside his siblings, Lindy and Darla. He attended Schaller High School and graduated in 1972.

After high school, Randy worked for the elevator in Schaller and for Hygrade in Storm Lake. Later, he farmed alongside his father and brother on the family farm in Schaller. Randy also umpired baseball and coached boys' Little League teams for several years. He was especially proud of leading one of his teams to the state tournament, and after his passing, the scorebook from that memorable season was found among his belongings—a testament to how much those years and those boys meant to him.

On January 24, 1976, he was united in marriage to Joleen Godbersen. Through this union, he was blessed with two children, Rik and Jeni. Though he and Joleen later divorced, he remained proud of the family they built together.

Randy’s entrepreneurial spirit led him through many successful careers and business ventures throughout his life. From 1978 to 1980, he worked as a part-time gas tanker driver, delivering gasoline and heating oil to farmers, gas stations, and residential customers.

From 1981 to 1984, he owned and operated RJ's Steakhouse & Lounge, which became well known for its broasted chicken on Sundays, drawing customers from miles around. He later served as a golf course manager before founding Quality Promotions in 1986, a telemarketing firm based in North Carolina, which raised funds for charitable organizations.

In 1997, he returned to Iowa to be closer to family and more actively involved in the lives of his children. That same year, he established RR Transport, transporting vehicles and recreational vehicles throughout the country. During this time, he was known for being present at nearly every event his children participated in, and he especially enjoyed traveling to support Jeni at Buena Vista University softball games throughout her college career. An avid sports fan, Randy took tremendous pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.

Rik had the opportunity to work alongside his dad at RR Transport from 2001 to 2003. The two often traveled together so they could help each other load and unload vehicles, creating memories and experiences they both treasured. Randy later founded AAALL States Auto Transport, where he brokered vehicle transportation services nationwide from 2004 to 2016. Rik worked alongside Randy for many years in this business as well. Randy sold the business in 2016 so he could combine his retirement and travel goals with his passion for golf.

In 2016, he joined his entrepreneurial drive, excellent math skills and critical thinking ability with his love of golf by inventing and patenting a golf product. Through his company, GRABALL Golf Products, he traveled throughout the United States in his RV as a member of the WIN RV Group, truly living out his dream of traveling and sightseeing while being semi-retired. Randy was proud to introduce and sell his golf ball invention to more than 200 golf stores nationwide. Even in recent years, he remained actively involved in the business, managing reorders and maintaining relationships with customers and retailers.

In 2020, Randy settled in Florida and concluded his years of traveling with the RV group. Beginning in 2021, he provided transportation services for residents of The Villages, helping people travel to and from the airport. He enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life and took pride in providing dependable service.

Randy found his true paradise in The Villages. He embraced the active lifestyle and especially enjoyed playing water volleyball five to six days a week, bicycling and kayaking. He also loved spending evenings at the town squares listening to live music, dancing, twirling ladies around the dance floor, socializing with friends, and enjoying the vibrant community he had come to love.

He never met a stranger and had a gift for making friends wherever he went. Randy could almost always be found wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes, Green Bay Packers, or neon-colored IOWA shirt. He liked to say it was a great conversation starter, and it was one of the many ways he connected with people and formed lasting friendships.

He will be remembered for his outgoing personality, entrepreneurial spirit, and love of sports, family, and friends. Randy lived life fully and always looked forward to the next adventure. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his children, Rik Rydberg of Schaller, Iowa, and Jeni Hearting of Nevada, Missouri; his mother and stepfather, Carol and Al Zigalla of Arizona; his stepmother, Janice Rydberg of Schaller; his sister, Darla (Brad) Koth of Alta; grandchildren Hope Hearting and fiancé Myles McNeley, Hailey Hearting, and Hunter Hearting, all of Missouri; stepsiblings Janan (Rich) Lamb, Kris Wilder, Dan (Lori) Wilder, Karen (Christopher) Bailey, and Kathy (Scott) King; foreign exchange student Stefan Jacobsson; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dwayne Rydberg, and his brother, Lindy Rydberg.

A Celebration of Life honoring Randy will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Schaller Jaycees Building in Schaller, Iowa. Family and friends are invited to join in sharing stories, laughter, and memories of a life well lived. In lieu of flowers, the family has established a memorial fund in Randy’s name.