Bruce Ponath, age 53, of Belle Plaine, passed away at  Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis on Saturday, Nov. 24.  
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church in Belle Plaine at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Father Brian Lynch will officiate.  
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. prior to the Mass.  
Interment will be in Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery in Belle Plaine.
Bruce William Ponath was born to Charles & Lucille (Lustman) Ponath in Glencoe on Sept. 19, 1965. He grew up on their family farm in New Auburn Township and graduated from the Glencoe High School. He graduated from Bemidji State University in 1988 and completed skills training in Alexandria.  Bruce married Stephanie Jean Kading on May 9, 1992. He worked for the police departments in Silver Lake and Stewart and Le Center.  He later joined Sibley County where he served as a deputy, four years as chief deputy and 16 years as sheriff.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Stephanie; sons, Taylor, Max and Mason; parents, Charles and Lucille Ponath; brother, Brian (Cheri) Ponath;  and sister, Julie (Todd) Johnson.