Ron passed away peacefully on 11 February 2023, after a short battle with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. He is survived by his wife of 66 years Fay and his two son’s, Kevin and Casey.
Ron was a fighter, strong and clever. He always did his best as a husband and father, to provide much from little to make do with what was. Dad’s life always seemed like an adventure: from working as a whistle punk in a logging camp to climbing and erecting the towers in Kitimat for Alcan with his brother Tony. As a young man he had to grow up quickly and become a man with the passing of his mother. Although he had to leave high school, friends and neighbourhood behind and go where the work was, he always returned (when able) to Vancouver and his favourite places to hang out with his friends.
Ever the night owl, he could be found at the Palms Café on Main St. with his nose in a book reading at all hours of the day and night. Of course, he’d stop in to say hi to Fay and see what she was doing while he was in town. He used to reminisce about growing up in Kelowna before moving to Vancouver and looking forward to the regatta where he found his love for the water and sailing. He loved to stay active and while in town: he used to go roller skating at Rollerland at the PNE grounds. He danced on his skates. If it was winter, he would be at Trout Lake ice skating. He’d find temporary work in town for a while, working at a meat packing plant near Powell St., or helping to build a section of the Sea Wall at Stanley Park.
Then steady work would call him out of town again for a few months until he finally returned and decided to settle. He proposed to his sweetheart Fay, and they married in 1956. A few years later, they started a family with Kevin, and then Casey.
Ron was always working and did so many different types of work: driving a truck for the CPR, making antennas for Sinclair Radio Labs and helping make and produce of all things, Speed Sew in North Vancouver. As Fay always said, “He had wings on his feet.” He eventually worked at Johnston Terminals moving furniture and appliances for Sears, then Sea Con trucking and back to Johnston’s doing maintenance. He went to work later at BC place and was there to assist in the raising of the roof. After BC Place, Ron worked in a laundry downtown and then later for ICBC at the main office where he stayed until he finally retired at the age of 83.
Ron, never got to finish Highschool, but he was not deterred and went on to get his diploma and then his electrician ticket at night school. He stayed with it and got his Steam Engineering ticket and Boiler Tickets. He used to say, “There is always something to learn.” Although he couldn’t spell very well and did so phonetically, he learned to use the computers at work and at home.
When it came to holidays with the family, he’d go for the drives whether for an ice cream at the Palms dairy on Main St or to the Okanagan for fresh fruit. Camping with Ron was, well, an experience: in the dark pitching a tent in a nice open field off the road only to find out the next morning it was on the end of a grass runway for small planes. Ron had an adventurous and humorous side to him as well: from play fighting with his kids to exploring places where Fay didn’t think they should go. He loved to drive. Ron took Fay to Hawaii for the first time in 77 and from then on they were hooked on Maui.
Ron had big eyes and always looked forwards. Making and creating things from nothing was a favourite pastime. Whether it be a gadget to open the gate or a bird for Fay’s Garden made out of rocks and metal, Ron made something out what he had on hand or what he collected with the intentions of making something out of it at some point in time. Anyone who knew Ron, knew he was organized in his own way. His workshop was a mess, but he knew where everything was until it was cleaned up by someone else. Ron loved animals as well. From beloved pets to his small group of farm animals that were sort of bought on the spur of the moment when he moved to the Fraser Valley and tried his hand at farm life. He got stuck with ducks, pigs, to some chickens, he took on the challenges.
Sundays were the day that Ron and Fay used to let loose and bowled in a league downtown at the Commadore lanes. Then, afterwards would come home with friends to have a few drinks and play some card games. He really enjoyed that. Ron was a good man. A good father. Stern but fair. He used to say, “Kids, don’t come with an instruction manual.” He raised his kids as best as he could from examples from others and the experiences he learned in his life, which at times were hard breaks. Everyone who met Ron liked him. His way with words and conversation made people feel good. He was always a positive man looking forward to the next day. While at ICBC there were few that didn’t know Ron, he got around that building and seemed to keep all working and a smile on everyone’s face. He loved his work there. He loved his breaks at the Quay. He could often be found sitting having a coffee and chatting to someone there. If you needed something, you got it that day or the next. Ron was always willing to help out when needed. “Nuff said!” That was Ron.
Well Ron, you had a pretty adventurous life. One that few words on a page can sum up. One wonders how you managed to do so much in such a short time. You are on a new adventure now and have all the time you need to create, dream big ideas and reach for the heavens and stars you used to read so much about. Of course, you will have time for the odd nap or two on the way.