Ronald George Dohrn

Ron Dohrn, age 78, passed away peacefully on Wednesday August 26, 2009. He is survived by his five children: Gregg, Judy (Cooke), Gary, Nancy (Bowden), and Pete, and their mother Barbara Dohrn; as well as his sons- and daughters-in-law, six grandchildren, sister-in-law Colleen, and her three children; a large extended family; numerous long time friends; his brothers in the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity; and his significant other, pew partner, and care giver extraordinaire, Dora Dandy. Ron was born in Fairmont, Minnesota on January 12, 1931. After the loss of the family farm during the Great Depression, he moved with his parents, George and Esther Dohrn to Wilson Creek and then to Roy, Washington, before settling in Renton in 1939 where they welcomed the arrival of his younger brother Rich, nine years to the day after Ron’s birth. Following his graduation from the University of Washington in 1953, Ron joined the US Army, serving in the Aircorp as a fixed wing and helicopter pilot. While in the Army and during his career with the Carnation Company, Ron and his family moved frequently, but Renton was always his home. He resided next door to the house he grew up in near Kennydale and recently attended his 60th reunion with classmates from the Renton High School Class of 1949.Ron was a self proclaimed genealogy nut, proud of his German/Polish heritage, and relished his role as family historian and curator. He acquired his father’s Depression era penchant for saving everything and over the years his children frequently dropped more things off for him to “store” for awhile. Ron had an amazing ability to diagnose and repair anything broken and was always working on a project for a family member or friend. He is fondly remembered for his big smile, the twinkle in his eyes, his laughter, and his ability to entertain us with his stories, many of which were frequently repeated, and all of which were embellished.While it was Ron’s heart that physically failed him, the kindness in his heart never failed us. He was a wonderful friend to many, a proud parent, and he made a lasting impression on all that came to know him. Please join us in for a celebration of Ron’s life on Friday September 11, at 1 PM at St Matthew Lutheran Church in the Renton Highlands, 1700 Edmonds Ave NE, Renton, WA 98056. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made in Ron’s honor to the Memorial Fund at St Matthew Lutheran Church.

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