The Boy Scout Law, “…trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent” was often recited by our husband, brother, uncle, great-uncle and friend, Ronald Dean Muller, who at age 76 left this earthly home on July 22,2023 after a tough struggle with the unrelenting foe that is cancer.
Ron was born on September 8,1946 in Davenport, Iowa to Wesley H. and Verna A. (Petersen) Muller. He was the epitome of an eldest son who was held to and met a very high standard and became a source of great pride to them both.
Ron grew up in Durant, Iowa, a small rural community, where he graduated from high school in 1964. He possessed the rare combination of athleticism and intellect, lettering in baseball, basketball, football, and track and receiving his diploma as salutatorian of his class.
When out of economic necessity, his parents were going to send him to community college, it was his high school counselor who recognized his much greater potential and worked to find a college that provided a cooperative program through which he could work while he earned his degree. That college was General Motors Institute of Technology (now Kettering University) in Flint, Michigan where he earned his BS in Industrial Engineering in 1969.
During his time in college, Ron was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity. His band of brothers was with him until his last day.
After graduation he continued with General Motors, first in Dearborn, Michigan and then Cincinnati, Ohio before he was called to serve in the U.S. Army. Upon his discharge from the military, Ron took a position with Hyster Company in Danville, Illinois. A friend from work introduced him to a bright successful accountant from Chicago, Bernice Suhling. They were married September 2, 1978. During his tenure in Danville that included two years in Crawfordsville, Indiana, he rose to the position of plant manager and vice president of manufacturing for North American operations before being transferred to corporate offices in Portland, Oregon in 1992 where he ultimately became the Vice President Operations Strategy and Counterbalanced Product. He was a respected speaker at industry conferences, and his professional responsibilities took him around the globe.
In 2001, Ron retired as they looked forward to the next phase of their lives. Ron had always been an avid sports fan – any sport! He enjoyed fishing and made several trips to Canada with his dad, brothers, and friends in search of walleye and northern. His love of golf led Bernice and him to purchase a second home in Rancho Mirage, California where they spent their winters. It was a great retirement centered around dog walks, golf, crossword puzzles and reading. All topped off by the near nightly sound of ice cubes clinking in his glass at 5:00 as he prepared his dirty vodka martini.
Ron was a man’s man and a man of few words. He believed that any job worth doing was worth doing well, and he subscribed to the idea that a person should think before he speaks and speak only when it’s necessary. Not one given to self-promotion or meaningless hyperbole, he let his actions and the quality of his work speak for themselves.
Ron loved his dogs, beginning with the puppy, Queenie, he brought home at the end of his paper route when he was young. Years later, dogs have shared their lives, each of whom, in their turn, enjoyed his fondness for a Starbucks Venti Mocha Frappuccino – with whip (for the pups, of course). What a picture it made when this big masculine guy took his daily walk with his prim and proper “little girl.”
Ron is predeceased by his parents, Wes and Verna, and brother, Steve Muller. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Bernice, niece Addie (Ryan) Hebard and their daughters Ava and Ella. Also surviving are sister Linda (Jeff) Stengel, brothers Brian (Sandy) and Jeff (Dawn), and nieces Brittany, Kristyn, Shayna, Staci, nephew Michael and their families.
Ron’s ashes will be interned on a later date at his home congregation, Hope Lutheran Church, where in lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial gift may be given. Hope Palm Desert, 45900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert, CA 92260.
