A Monticello man and his 5-year-old grandson died when the tractor they were on rolled over in a steep ditch, the man's son said Sunday.

Ron Gustafson, 50, and grandson Rollie Gustafson were in Clearwater to help build a fence, said Roger Gustafson, Ron's son and Rollie's uncle.

Roger Gustafson owns the farm where the accident occurred. He said the two went out for a ride after working on the fence and that riding on the tractor was Rollie's favorite thing to do.

Rollie, who lived with his grandfather, loved to help out with the animals and everything else on the farm. "He only weighed 50 pounds, but he could lift a bale of hay," Roger Gustafson said. "He was right by grandpa's side all the time."

Ron Gustafson worked at Caterpillar Paving Products in Brooklyn Park, his son said. "He was very dedicated and hardworking," his son said, adding that his father was the handiest person he knew.

The son said his dad had a "great sense of humor" and liked to joke around.

The fatal accident occurred at 5:45 p.m. on Friday near the intersection of County Road 104 and Huber Av. NW. Ron Gustafson was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Wright County Sheriff's Office.

Rollie Gustafson was taken to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis and died just before 7 p.m., according to a report from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office. The boy died of blunt-force injuries and the death was ruled an accident.

Services are planned for 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Daniel Funeral Home in Clearwater.

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747 @rochelleolson