Ron was a beloved husband, father and grandfather whose legacy will live on through the women he empowered, encouraged, instructed and loved deeply. He was born in The Dalles, Oregon to mother Rosella and father Willis, and was the oldest of 4 siblings – Daniel, Deberah and Elizabeth. He spent his childhood days on Newton Creek Road where alongside his brother first fell in love with nature while exploring the hills, creeks and valleys from dawn to dusk. When not out exploring and creating grand adventures, he read voraciously. By the time he entered high school, he had read every book in the school library. Ron attended Milo Adventist Academy, graduating in 1963. Ron was drafted into the US Army where he trained as a medic and served as a lab technician. During the summers in the 60’s Ron lived and worked at the Davis Ranch, homesteaded by his great grandfather in Green Springs, Oregon. Here, while riding horseback through the 1000 acres, cattle driving and working the land, a respect for the land and work ethic was deeply instilled in Ron. He attended Southern Oregon College in Asheland before moving to upstate New York, where he married his first wife Patricia Herrmann in 1972 and had 3 children – Marca, Nathaniel and Sara. Ron was passionate about nutrition and owned Nature’s Storehouse, a health food store in Cortland, New York. Also, a talented baker, Ron owned and operated two bakeries during his time in New York. Alongside a group of health visionaries, Ron purchased Our Home on the Hillside, a health institute founded by J C Jackson and began to restore it to its original purpose as a place of health renewal and respite. Years later, he moved to North Carolina, where he began working in forestry. Through a colleague, Milciades Ortiz and his wife Flora, he met Doris. They corresponded for several years through letters, until she moved with her daughter Andrea to the US. They married in 1989 and had one child together, Rosella. Ron and Doris managed a forestry business for nearly 30 years, were very active in the church community, and enjoyed cultivating their farm and vineyard in Bladenboro. Ron had many passions – reading and writing, meditating on God’s word, working on his property, traveling, taking care of his pet snakes, playing with his model trains, researching family history, watching Yankees baseball, and eating ice cream with his grandaughters, Graceanna, Emma and Eva. A devoted son and brother, loving husband and father, dedicated uncle and grandfather and constant friend, Ron’s greatest gift has always been his presence and grace with those around him. He leaves behind a legacy of generosity, altruism, and servanthood.
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