Charles W. Ronald

Charles W. Ronald, 86, of Tuscarawas, died Tuesday morning, October 28, 2003 at Mercy Medical Center in Canton following a three-week illness.A familiar face in the village of Tuscarawas, Chuck was born in Tippecanoe on April 21, 1917 to the late Andrew H and Laura May Austin Ronald. He graduated from high school in Uhrichsville with the class of 1935. Chuck then worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Dennison prior to the onset of World War II.He enlisted with the U. S. Army Army Air in 1942, serving honorably with the 509th Parachute Infantry. Chuck spent nine months as a prisoner of war in Germany and upon his honorable discharge in 1945 he received a Purple Heart in addition to the Good Conduct medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre ribbon with two battle stars.Shortly after leaving the military, Chuck married Betty Lois Jones, on June 6, 1945. Betty died December 22, 1993. Betty and Chuck are the parents of Carol (Richard) Staley of Dover, Cyndi (Sam) Seward of Strasburg, the late Thomas A. Ronald, who was killed in Vietnam in 1967, and the late Charles “Woody” W. Ronald, II, who died in 1998. Other survivors include six grandchildren, Stephanie (Caton) McGhee, Bethanie Staley, Samantha (Rob) Page, Leigh Ann Seward, Tom Ronald and Amanda (Troy) Belknap; six great-grandchildren, Chanz, Katina and Lauren McGhee; Molly Feller, Rozalyn and Avalyn Belknap; a daughter-in-law, Dawn Ronald, of Tuscarawas; and Chuck’s faithful companion, his dog “Buddy”. Chuck was the last surviving child in his family.Chuck worked for Robinson Clay in Uhrichsville during the 1950’s and 1960’s and I-F Manufacturing for 12 years before retiring in 1982. He loved to read, especially World War II related books, and enjoyed visiting the Tuscarawas Library. Chuck was a life-member of the Tuscarawas VFW Post and was a member of various POW affiliated organizations.Visitation will to Wednesday, October 29, 2003, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home in New Philadelphia where the funeral will be conducted Thursday morning at 10:30 AM. Burial alongside his wife will follow at Evergreen Burial Park. After the cemetery committal everyone is invited for a meal in the Geib Family Center, adjacent to the funeral home.Contributions in memory of Chuck may be made to Hospice of Tuscarawas Valley, 201 W. Third St., Dover, OH 44622.