Birth date: Oct 3, 1931 Death date: Jun 7, 2024
BENNETT, Ronald Walter, age 92, of Centerville, passed away Friday, June 7, 2024, at Hospice of Dayton. When you read this, I will be gone! I thought it would be appropriate to write my own obit so I would know what was in it. I Read Obituary
At our last breakfast meeting May 16th Ron made the comment that we had been meeting for breakfast for thirty years. I am not sure of the exact number but that was probably pretty close. My Dad Charles Frey had been running the Wright Gang breakfast for quite a while. This was mostly a group of Wright Patterson Air Force Base retirees that met the second Thursday of the month for breakfast. That may have been where I first met Ron. We also saw each other at the Huffman Prairie Aviation Historical Society meetings the first Monday that were run by Wright State University archives. Dawne Dewey brought together an interesting group and we enjoyed learning from each other. Ron and I had a number of common interest. I had always been interested in rockets, missiles and the space program. Well it seemed that way. My dad had shown the family an 8mm movie, "American in Space" about John Glenn's Mercury flight. I followed the space program from then on. I grew up as our space program progressed to the landing on the moon. Ron and I had discussions about his experience with project Emily and the Thor missile. Ron worked on the AC Spark Plug Guidance system used in the Thor. Those were used in other missiles and the best IMUs were used in submarines. Our discussions brought back Ron's memories of the system and I learned about the systems and the projects. The Wright Gang had been losing members as they got older and when my dad died in 2008 I tried to keep the meetings going but we had lost too many members. It got down to just me and Ron. The Huffman Prairie Aviation Historical Society meeting suffered a similar fate. Many members were lost and when Dawne Dewey retired there didn't seem to be the interest at the archives in trying to continue the program. COVID finished it off. Dawne had done a great service by recording the histories of many of the participants. Ron and I also had a lot of other interest in common. Aviation, cars, how things work, making things and our volunteer activities. I got into doing a lot of what became known as STEM. Science Technology Engineering and Math. We had discussions of my projects building demonstrators to teach various topics including Rocket Guidance Systems, Computers, Aircraft Stability and Control, Designing and Building Machines with a 3D printer and many more. These were used as part of the Air Force Museum Family Days and later the National Aviation Hall of Fame programs and now Science Saturdays. They were also popular at TechFest. Ron volunteered at the NAHF for many years and used his home shop to maintain some of the pieces used in various activities there. He also made a few tools for me to use in my shop. Our last discussions were related to a Piano-Lodeon Toy Player Piano that I had found and was restoring. This is now a functioning part of the Dayton Computer Museum demos relating to early programmable machines. Ron mentioned that a friend had a full size player piano.
Lately I have been doing oral histories for the Computer Museum. I regret not having my digital recorder at my meetings with Ron. Those meetings are part of my memories now.
Ron was a great guy and a great friend who will be greatly missed. His contributions will be remembered and continue to teach new generations.
Stephen W. Frey
Owner/Engineer, SWFTEC
President, Inventors Council of Dayton
Assistant Curator, DMA Dayton Computer Museum
Volunteer, NAHF, NMUSAF, DMA
Terry and I were fortunate enough to be Lewisham neighbors to Ron and Louise for 15+ years. Ron was a quiet gentleman who was always there when we needed his advice. His writing his own obit was no surprise. Sincere condolences to Louise, Karen and the rest of his family.
Debbie & Terry Chapman
Ron was my supervisor when he ran the Vehicle Test Garage. He was a great guy and the epitome of a gentleman! So sorry to his family for their loss. Beverly Turpin
I knew Ron from our years together at Delco Moraine. He was a good man with a great disposition and will be missed. My condolences to his family at such a time as this.
I knew Ron from our time together at Delco Moraine. He was a good man with a great disposition and will be missed. My condolences to his family at such a time as this.
Mike Lipscomb
I met Ron through his wife, Louise. She was my Ohara Ikebana instructor and my friend. Louise lit up whenever she talked about Ron, and I was eager to meet him. Louise and I drove to the Highlands, North Carolina, to attend a workshop. We met in a McDonald's parking lot to begin our journey together. We met when Ron drove Louise to the McDonald's so she could join me. He helped transfer her supplies into my van; you could see how much he loved and cared for Louise. He was so patient and gentle! We met several times after that trip, and I have always enjoyed talking with Ron. I was fascinated by the things he made. He put his engineering talents, skills, and heart into every project. We saw each other a couple of times after Louise passed away, and you could see the pain in his heart. The last time I saw Ron, we talked in his garage and shared some pumpkin cake with pralines I baked that morning. Even though the cake didn't come out of the pan as it should have (sugar made it stick - I goofed up), Ron complimented me on it and seemed to enjoy every sweet bite! I hoped to see him this summer over lunch. I know I'll see him and Louise again, together, in heaven. He will be missed, but I'm comforted to know he's with those he loved who have gone before him—my condolences to all who loved Ron Bennett.
It was an honor to know Ron and Louise. I met Karen Mente Duffy in 1980 at college. Ron and Louise would always greet me with a smile and a hug. I have learned so much from them both and treasure the memories. Forever in gratitude for sharing your lives, knowledge and wisdom. Until we meet again.
Love always, Patty Bischoff
