December 23, 1932 – October 2, 2025
at the age of 92 years:     

A celebration of life will be held at Song Sparrow Hall, 180 Lakeshore Dr. NW, Salmon Arm BC on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 1:00PM.

Ron was born on December 23, 1932 at Medicine Hat, Alberta.    He passed away in Salmon Arm on October 2, 2025 at the age of 92 with his loving wife and family by his side.  He was predeceased by his father William, mother Annie, his son Mike and granddaughter Nichole.  He leaves behind his wife Roseanne, his two children Tom (Debra) Nawosad and Becky (Bill) Pettigrew and four grandchildren Alison, Megan, Cameron and Connor.

Ron grew up in Medicine Hat attending a 2-room schoolhouse.  The family moved to New Westminster when he was 8 years old.  They had a chicken farm there, where Ron fed the chickens, gathered eggs, milked cows, etc. 

He was hired at the age of 15 on the dining cars as fourth cook.  He was a quick study on the car learning the skill of prep work while standing as the train moved through the mountain ranges of BC.  The chef liked him and he learned many cooking skills along the way. While young, Ron’s love of the violin led him to play for the Vancouver Junior Symphony and later perform in a band. 

Following high school and Grade 13 senior matriculation, he was hired by the CP Railway with the steam engines. After a few years he decided to leave because he didn’t like getting his toe pulled at 3am for work.

His love for sports led him to play hockey and lacrosse and he ended up playing for the New Westminster Salmonbellies, later he coached hockey in Salmon Arm.  He enjoyed spending time on Shuswap Lake and skiing with his family.

 He was hired by the New Westminster City Hall, starting on the garbage trucks, paving, and heavy-duty equipment, eventually moving into the office as a residential appraiser. While working fulltime, he attended UBC at night to achieve his Residential & Commercial Appraisal Certification. 

Ron fell in love with the Shuswap while working for the railway.  When the opportunity came, he moved his young family to the Shuswap, as he didn’t want his children to grow up in the city. His hard work and dedication led him to purchase the Sportsman Resort in Blind Bay which he and his wife ran for many years. This was his dream to let his children grow up near water and have the freedom to grow.  He ran the resort in the summer and then he worked at Adams Lake Mill in the winter to support his family. 

He was hired for appraisals with Salmon Arm Realty and eventually became a realtor.  This was Ron’s niche – he was well liked by clients because of his fair and honest approach.   He had many successes, one of his proudest achievements being the development of McArthur Heights Subdivision in Blind Bay.  He clearly loved what he was doing as he continued to work until age 75. 

Ron was devoted to his family, spending countless hours with his children, grandchildren and friends, fishing, skiing, and enjoying recreational activities at their summer cabin on Shuswap Lake.  Ron will be remembered for his service to family, friends and community.   

A celebration of life will be held at Song Sparrow Hall, 180 Lakeshore Dr. NW, Salmon Arm BC on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 1:00PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shuswap Hospital Foundation in memory of Ron.