Ronald Anthony Hronchek of The Villages, Florida died on December 23, 2014 while surrounded by his wife and four children. Ron lost a short battle with leukemia.
Ron was born in Warren, Ohio and graduated from Howland High School before entering Purdue University on a golf scholarship where he helped his team win the Big Ten championship. He also played saxophone in the Purdue marching band and was a brother in Phi Kappa Theta. At Purdue he met the young lady that would become his bride. He married Kathleen Walker of Indianapolis, and they were married for 52 years. After graduation from Purdue with an industrial engineering degree, he began a 35 year employment with the Bridgestone Firestone company where he worked in Georgia, California, Ohio and Tennessee.
As a lifelong golfer, engineer, and tinkerer he was known by friends and family for his many creative pursuits and adventures. He traveled to all 50 states, much of Europe, Japan, and the Panama Canal. He restored a Pontiac GTO, built furniture, and enjoyed building golf clubs for friends and family. He was widely known as an expert carburetor mechanic and pioneer in optimizing miles per gallon from ordinary cars. He was also known as an expert golfer who could drive the ball 280 yards and salvage par from anywhere. He shot his age in golf multiple times. Ron could dispense solid advice and perspective on a myriad of topics from personal finance to shotguns to the best way to prepare fresh salmon. He loved people and making new friends and was at home in his garage in The Villages where a series of friends and neighbors would drop in to enjoy his company.
In addition to his wife, Kathleen, he is survived by his four children and ten grandchildren: Mary and Bill Bergamo of Glastonbury, CT (children Patrick and David); Ann and Scott Kriscovich of Marietta, GA (Hannah, MaryKate and Megan); Michael and Dana Hronchek of Greenville, SC (Walker and Cooper); and David and Lisa Hronchek of Atlanta, GA (Sam, Lane and Ben). He is also survived by two sisters, Kathleen Napolitan and Ruth Ann Hronchek from Indio, CA. He was preceded in death by his brother, James Hronchek.
The family invites local friends to a celebration of life on Saturday January 10th at 1:00 pm at the Baldwin Brothers Cremation and Funeral Chapel at 13743 North Highway 441, Lady Lake, Florida. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Cornerstone Hospice, 601 Casa Bella, The Villages, FL 32162.
My condolences to the entire family.