McDonald, Ronald K.

I'll miss Ron's e-mails asking how our weather is "up on the mountain" or to tell me something his Golden "kids" had done. I've know him since high school in Point, and we ended up in the same county over 40 years later. My sincere condolences to the family.

Ron was a classmate and close childhood friend as we both grew up in Stevens Point, WI. I have fond remembrances of playing at his home and participating in the Boy Scout program with him. His father was our Scoutmaster.
I knew Ron to be loyal, friendly, courteous and kind. It appears as if he led his adult life as he led his childhood! I regret that I lost contact with him.
May God rest his soul!

Ron was my closest boyhood friend from the time my parents moved to South River Drive in 1952 through high school. We attended Jackson School, the UW-SP Campus Laboratory School, and P.J. Jacobs High School together. His father and mother led the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs and camps. We played hockey over Christmas Break on the lagoon south of his house, and "cops and robbers" in the large barn at Webster Taggert's and neighboring forest across the street from the McDonalds. We navigated the boulder-strewn Wisconsin River out to McDonald's Island, and down stream to the River Pines TB Facility, in an old iron row boat my grandfather kept chained up next door. We searched the Moland Trucking lot for glass and steel bearings we used for marbles in the school yard, and skied the short hills in the nearby sandstone quarry. On bicycles we rode across the city to school daily, ran paper routes, caddied for golfers at the local country club, and explored the downtown auto stores and shops. Ron dragged me into Lane Music almost daily to listen to recordings of the Marines and Coast Guard Hymns. His father's law office and abstract company was next door to my grandather's plumbing shop on our way home most evenings, even in the bitter cold of Central Wisconsin in winter. Ron had the first motorized transportation, a Vespa scooter. Later when my brother, Clarence, and I acquired a small HD 165 motorcycle, we travelled the backroads of Portage County South of the city. As we became teens, Ron would get a carful (some in the trunk) together for "Buck Night" at the Hiway 51 Drive-In.
I will remember Ron as a happy guy, who never seemed to let anything get him down, and also as a helper and true friend to everyone and anyone, no matter how outlandish the scheme or circumstance. It is no small suprise to me that he became a public servant and community volunteer beloved by all who knew him. He was one of the best friends you could hope for.
To his surviving family and friends, Ron has only fallen asleep in the Lord until that day of full communion and reunion we all await. May his memory be eternal.

We'll miss our neighbor; he was one of the good guys. He always had a smile on his face and met even this last biggest challenge with a positive attitude.

I'll never forget his running and biking down 8-mile road while I was in the field. He'd wave big both going and coming on his 6-7 mile run. Next day, he'd be on the bike for his 20 mile ride. He told me once that he had 8 different run routes that covered nearly the same distances so that he could see different parts of the countryside. He was very helpful to my mother and father-in-law when they lived where we do now and my wife and I will be forever grateful to him for that. His white motorcycle with the little American flag flying in the back parked at my in-laws house will be one of those forever images about Ron - he was there to help with something.

He was an extremely good guy that never took advantage of anyone and I'm glad that I can always say that he was one of my friends. I'll never forget the last time I visited him at his house just a few days before his passing. He 'walked' me to the door in his chair, looked me in the eye and smiled as I left. He seemed fully at peace with everything and that was good.

Mark

I would like, at this time, to express my condolences to you. Your brother was a very wonderful, special person.

When I was carrying the mail I would see him so often walking his dogs down 8-Mile.

I first knew Ronald when he was Commander with the Riverton VFW Club. We worked together on a project for the Midvale Fire Department.

Later as a First Responder with the Midvale Fire Department I went on calls to assist as needed. He couldn't talk, but did write his notes and was so appreciative of whatever we did. And, it gave me a chance to know his two dogs, Giggles and Pickles.

I did not make the last call we had to his home, was unable to go. I felt bad that I wasn't there for him, but then relieved not to be there if I couldn't help.

One of my concerns are of Giggles and Pickles. I do hope they are taken care of. Such wonderful dogs.

Ronald is now at peace. I will miss him.