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Ronald "Ron" Bender
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Birth: Jan. 15, 1941
Mandan
Morton County
North Dakota, USA
Death: Jul. 4, 2016
Woodburn
Marion County
Oregon, USA
Info provided by: Dr. John (#47154799)
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Portland - Ronald Bender passed away under the booms of fireworks on July 4, 2016. Ron's heart gave out at Centennial Park in Woodburn, Oregon after enjoying the holiday listening to his grandson's music concert with his family.
Ron was born in Mandan, North Dakota to Jack and Elizabeth (Betty) Bender. As a toddler, Ron's parents moved the family to Salem, Oregon where he had a very happy "American Graffiti" type of childhood in the neighborhood near St.Vincent School and church in north Salem. He attended St. Vincent grade school through the 8th grade then graduating from Serra Catholic High 1959.
In 1959, during his senior year, Ron and several classmates joined the Army reserves, serving active duty at Ft. Ord in California and then the remainder of the years in the guard. Ron was deeply patriotic and was very proud of his army service. Over the years, Ron enjoyed reunions and visits with many of his classmates.
On February 11, 1961, Ron married the love of his life, Diane. Together they brought two wonderful children into the world, Tracy Cox of Salem and Jeff Bender of Happy Valley, Oregon. 2016 marked Ron and Diane's 55th year of love and marriage together. Over the course of their marriage, through thick and thin, Ron lived the definition of loyalty, love, and kindness.
Ron's work career began as a teenager at Willamette Cherry Growers. His professional career was wood products managing plants in Denver Colorado, Bend, and Pilot Rock, Oregon. His last working years in semi-retirement were spent in security for the Bonneville Power Administration.
Ron was a true German kind of guy, he loved to cook, had a huge collection of cook books, loved every hot dog and bratwurst stand he could find. He was noted for his A-Z driving expeditions with family and friends. He loved to explore, driving probably every side road in Oregon at one time or another. Ron absolutely loved water, he spent hours upon hours along the Oregon coast, loved Highway 101, and anywhere where he could stop and talk to local fishermen. The guys at Meldrum Bar are going to miss him. He visited multiple countries in Europe, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Denali area in Alaska. Almost as much as he loved his family, Ron was an avid Denver Bronco's fan, followed by his second love, the Oregon Ducks.
Most of all Ron so deeply loved his family, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his sisters, a large extended family of nieces, nephews, aunts/uncle, cousins, and many friends in Summerplace, and all over the country. Right to the end, with Diane, Ron celebrated every family event, big or small. There was hardly a concert, sports event, graduation, or birth that Ron didn't live first hand with joy, cheers, hugs, and sometimes tears. When friends and family learned of Ron's passing, the words most used to describe and remember him were that he was gentle, humble, and kind. As generous as he was in life, Ron was generous in death, donating his organs to those in need.
Ron is survived by his wife Diane (Portland); daughter Tracy Cox (husband Mark) Salem, Oregon; son Jeff Bender (wife Vanissa), Happy Valley, Oregon; six grandchildren, Matthew Cox, Gabriel Cox (Julie), Aaron Cox (Alicia), Summer McCracken (Brian) and family, Landen, Estelle, and Callen Bender; two great-grandchildren, Katie and Caleb Cox; three sisters, Phyllis Meighen (Vern), Janet Ballinger (Ray), and Carol Larsen (Larry), and multiple aunts, one uncle, and lots of cousins, and his treasured exchange student daughter, Valerie' Laurent from Paris, France.
In lieu of flowers, Ron has requested remembrances be made to the Providence Child Center Foundation http://oregon.providence.org/our-services/p/providence-child-center-foundation/ or to the Oregon Humane Society at Oregonhumane.org.
A funeral mass will be held July 13, 2016, 11:00 a.m., at St. Vincent Catholic Church at 1010 Columbia Street, Salem, Oregon. Interment will be at Restlawn Funeral Home, 201 Oak Grove Rd, N.W., Salem, Oregon following mass and the luncheon.
Published in the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal on July 10, 2016.
Family links:
Parents:
Jack D. Bender (1917 - 1977)
Elizabeth Meuchel Bender (1920 - 1989)
Burial:
Restlawn Memory Gardens
West Salem
Polk County
Oregon, USA
Created by: sunfire333
Record added: Jul 15, 2016
Find A Grave Memorial# 167021628
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1941 - 2016 (75 years)