Ronald Gillis

Ronald Gillis was a man who didn't always do things the best way, or the easy way, but he always did things his way. Ronald was truly his own man, a tough man who had at times a tough life, but always had a soft spot in his heart for those around him.

Ronald Gillis was born in Grand Rapids on February 22, 1936, to Joseph and Dorothy (Jaswinski) Gillis. His mother was of Polish descent and his father was Lithuanian, which at that time, was not totally accepted socially. But Ronald was proud of both of their heritages.

The Gillis family lived on the lower west side of Grand Rapids, but Ronald's mother passed away when he was just four years old, leaving he and his father to fend for themselves. His dad eventually remarried, and together Joseph Gillis and his second wife had three more sons. But Ronald, having lost his birth mother, wasn't the most well-behaved child, and didn't always see eye-to-eye with his father's new wife. So Ronald spent a great deal of time with his father's mother, who really helped raise him. She was a stern lady, very particular about her beliefs, and a positive influence on him. Ronald of course learned to speak Lithuanian, as his father and grandparents spoke it.

As he got older, he spent time going to Catholic schools. But when he became of age, he enlisted in the Army, and served during the Korean War. He was a tough man, and the rigors of the Army suited him well.

Upon returning home, Ron met Barbara Lang during his numerous visits to Buth Dairy Bar where she worked. A romance developed and the couple was married. Over the next 10 years they would have three children Ronald, Brenda and Teresa. Ronald's marriage ended after a decade, but it would not be the last time he found love.

Ronald kept himself busy through his work. He began working at Stowe Davis, then spent time at a few more companies before finding one that suited him. After bouncing around early in life, Ronald found a "home" at American Seating, and spent nearly 30 years working as a maintenance person there. He was very considerate of his coworkers, and had many friends there. Ronald was thoughtful of others, and was quick to help them when they were in need.

But Ronald also had a very active social life outside of work. He was a regular visitor at the many halls near his home, including the St. Georges Aid Society, Son's and Daughters, and Vytautas Aid Society. He was a valuable and active member, helping with the charities, and served in various leadership positions. But he was also very handy to have around, and helped maintain and improve the facilities. Ronald could fix just about anything that needed fixing, even electrical problems. His father was an electrician, so Ronald knew his way around the wires, but Ronald didn't like working with it, after getting a terrible shock once. But he would, anyway. He was a tough man, remember.

But the tough man soon found a soft spot in his heart, for a lady named Irene Medukas. Irene was one of the bartenders and finance officers at one of the halls Ronald attended, and despite being a few years older, a romance developed and they were married in 1975.

Irene was a positive influence on Ronald's life, and it was because of her that he settled down a bit. Most of all, Irene encouraged him to reach out and spend more time with his children.

Ronald and Irene had a nice cottage on Green Lake in Greenville, where the two would spend weekends in the summertime. It was here that some of Ronald's fondest memories were formed, on those warm summer days and nights, with his wife, children and grandchildren. He loved to thrill children with fireworks shows at the lake cottage. Ronald loved to take the pontoon boat out for a ride, and enjoyed fishing off of it. Ronald was a life-long hunter and fisherman, and enjoyed the outdoors. He always seemed to come back with a deer from hunting. He was a tough man, remember.

But he also had a soft spot in his heart, for his wife, for his children, for his grandchildren. Ronald dearly loved his grandchildren, even though he didn't see them much. He was a tough man, but seeing them hurt him in some ways, making him realize he could have been a better parent. So he tried his best to be a good grandparent, and when he was around them he paid close attention to them and always had candy for them.

Like those fireworks he wowed his grandkids with, Ronald had a streak of showmanship in him. He had a fashion sense all his own, and loved wearing bright, bold colors. Despite being very frugal with his money, Ronald always dressed well. He was fearless when it came to fashion - he even wore a white coat and bright orange pants to his daughter Teresa's wedding! He and Irene were made for each other in that respect, and together they always dressed up nice. You never saw either of them in blue jeans in their active days. Most recently, however, Ronald took on a fondness for cowboy shirts, which fit him well. He loved westerns of all kinds, shows and movies, and was a huge fan of the ultimate tough guy - John Wayne.

Like John, Ronald could be gruff at times, and spoke with a bluntness that sometimes got the best of him. But Ronald wasn't shy, and had many, many friends from his many clubs. He could strike up a conversation with just about anybody, and often did. He could be boisterous, but loved to talk.

But Ronald had many loves in his life. He loved cars, especially T-Birds (even though he was hard on cars). He loved his big trip to Las Vegas he took with Irene. He loved music, and enjoyed listening to his opera music really loud. He loved animals, even though he never had pets. He once rescued a raccoon and nursed it back to health, and could feed the squirrels from his hand out his back door. He also loved to garden, and had geranium plants and roses for over 20 years. He was a tough man, but with a soft spot for so many things.

Perhaps what he had the softest spot for was his wife, Irene. He loved her dearly, and after she passed away from a long illness in 1998, he was never quite the same. He broke his leg shortly after her passing, forcing him to retire, but he missed his companion, his sidekick.

Ronald Gillis was a tough man, who at times lived a tough life. But for those that knew this colorful and entertaining man, remembering him fondly will always be easy.

Ronald G. Gillis Sr., age 69, a lifelong resident of the lower northwest side of Grand Rapids , passed away June 21, 2005. He was an Army Veteran and active member of St. George's and Vytautas Aid Societies. He was preceded in death by his wife Irene, his brother Joe Gillis and by his step son Gary Medukas. Ron is survived by his daughters Brenda Bolhouse, Teresa (Geary) Zomberg; step-son Terry Medukas; brothers Chuck (Joyce) Gillis and Paul (Sally) Gillis; grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Funeral services for Ron will be held on Saturday, June 25 at 10 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE where relatives and friends are invited to visit with his family on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the American Lung Association are appreciated. You may read Ron's life story or share a favorite memory by visiting www.lifestorynet.com