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- He attended high school in Salem, Indiana, graduating in 1955. He received his undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees from Indiana University.
While attending I.U., he met his future wife. He and Janice S. Hames were married on May 31, 1959. They celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2009. She survives him, as do a son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Jada Bell of Clay City, Indiana. Also surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Dan and Suzanne Barbieri of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also leaves behind four granddaughters, Emily and Mallory Bell and Sophia and Victoria Barbieri, as well as a step-granddaughter and step-grandson, Whitney Butts and Jesse Freeman. He was preceded in death by a brother, James.
Ron began his long career in education in 1961, at Union Township High School. In 1962, he began his tenure with the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, retiring in 1994. During this time, he was a teacher of mathematics and assistant principal at Martinsville Junior High School. In 1969, he was named principal of the same school, renamed East Middle School. In 1987, he became assistant superintendent for the school district. Being in education and school administration, Ron was a member of several professional organizations.
He was a very civic-minded person. He was a member of the the local Kiwanis Club since 1975, and was awarded Legion of Honor from Kiwanis International. He served as president of the club twice and spent many years on its Board of Directors. He was named outstanding Kiwanian for 1976-77. He also served the Morgan County Mental Health Clinic, the Community Foundation of Morgan County, the YMCA, and the local Red Cross Chapter. He was on the Board of Directors for the local American Cancer Society and had been associated with the Morgan County Community Concert Association. He served on the REMC Grant Committee and the advisory board of the United Way of Central Indiana.
Ron was a long and active member of the Martinsville First United Methodist Church as a Sunday School teacher and chairman of the trustees, education, finance, and pastor/parish committees. He and Jan had served as lay delegates to the United Methodist Church's Annual Conference. He was proud of his association with the Hoosier Hills Emmaus Community.
Ron was a member of American Legion Post 230. He had served as an officer in the U.S. Chemical Corps. He had been a member of the U.S. Army Reserves for twelve years.
In serving his community, Ron received many awards, among which were Morgan County Volunteer of the Year (1999), Central Indiana Volunteer of the Year (1999), Albert Merritt Service for Youth (2001), and most recently, the Ruth Rusie "Spirit of Service" award. He truly had a servant spirit whether it be for church, community, friends, or family.
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1937 - 2011 (74 years)
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