Ron leaves to mourn his loving wife Celine of 60 years, his son Allen of Williams Lake, his daughter Wendy (Richard) Brown, granddaughter Danica (Fraser Lau) of Langley, his brothers Wayne (Mary) of Black Creek, Ervin (Maureen) of Vancouver, Ernest (Lyn) of Lake Country, Fred (Barbara) and Gregory (Kathy) of Kelowna, as well as several aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and literally dozens of cousins.
Ron was born in Unity, Saskatchewan to Joseph Stabbler and Emma (Donhauser). Growing up he spent much of his time with his grandparents (Leo and Magdalena Donhauser) and his aunts and uncles on the farm in Reward, Saskatchewan.
When Ron was seven his mother married Robert Schaad and the little family of three moved to Kelowna, in British Columbia, where he attended elementary and high School.
Hard work and responsibility were learned through experience: helping his mom with 5 younger brothers, cooking, cleaning, gardening and household chores. At 16 he worked in the tire shop at Kelowna Motors, where lessons learned formed his life-long work ethic. “A job worth doing is a job worth doing well.”
Ron met the love of his life, Celine (Hauk) in 1961. They married the following year at St Theresa’s Catholic Church. They built their home in Rutland on a lot that was once a part of the Donhauser orchard and where they remain 60 years later.
How thrilled Ron was to become a father to Allen and Wendy. He had lots of experience in childcare.
Ron’s unfailing devotion to his wife and children led him to taking a job in the trucking industry with “Hilltop Sand and Gravel”. Later, he purchased his own truck, “Ronald A Schaad Trucking”. He set out on a paving adventure with “H Williamson Contracting” that would last some 36 years and ironically take him from his family to locations throughout the province of British Columbia. Vancouver and Queen Charlotte Islands, Pine Pass, the Coquihalla and Stewart Cassiar Highways were also included in his logbook. Ron would be pleased to note that if you’ve driven on a highway in British Columbia, you’ve driven on a portion of his life’s achievements.
Ron was “a man of few words”, most often seemingly in deep thought. Yet there he was, seated at the head table, microphone in hand presiding over the meeting, making presentations, facilitating elections, conducting installation ceremonies.
Both Ron and Celine were active members in a family fraternity known as the Independent Order of Foresters. Ron held office locally for 20 years, then on the provincial level for 16 years, as High Councilman and High Vice Chief Ranger for British Columbia & Alaska and an elected delegate, internationally, to the Supreme Court Quadrennial Sessions.
A framed collection of honors and awards adorns a wall in their home, along with memorabilia from “Forester friends” throughout Canada, United States, Great Britain, and Australia. How truly fortunate to have been a part of such an amazing organization and to have built many life-long friendships along the way.
Ron’s proudest moments included his children, their accomplishments, and achievements such as graduations from Rutland High School. Allen’s graduation with a forestry degree and Wendy’s graduation with a degree in medical imaging.
His treasured memories include becoming a “Grampa” to Danica, watching her grow into a beautiful accomplished young woman with a Bachelor of Science degree and aspirations in the medical field.
Treasured memories include vacations with Celine and sometimes family to Hawaii, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Alaska, and several destinations in Canada and the USA.
Topping the list of true adventures, though, would be fishing for salmon, crab and prawns on board the “Partnership” along the northern coastline of British Columbia with his son Allen and friends.
To honour Ron’s memory a small private funeral service is being planned with Valleyview Funeral home.
A video tribute is available for viewing at:
https://home.mycloud.com/action/share/a6076029-acd1-4a8d-9efd-2300244dab6c
Check that your volume is on.
On most systems, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the link.
Click on the “play “ triangle.
The family would like to thank Ron’s primary care physician, Dr Larry Bobyn, in Kelowna, his Surgeon Dr H. Wang in Vernon, Cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Christopher Lane in Victoria, Dr Sanjay Rao at the Cancer Clinic, Urologist Dr Keith Prestage, Dr JPB Etheridge at Okanagan Pain Clinic as well as Interior Health home support and Central Okanagan Hospice House, Sun Point Village, long term care and palliative care.
Sincere appreciation for the love and support shown by Don and Doreen Roper, Denis and Judy Hauk, Ernie and Lyn Schaad, Bernie Bay, Frank and Gerri Tarasawich, Darrell and Claudette Scriver, Betty Yarrow and Phyllis Harpe.
Heaven’s Now My Home
I’m sorry that I left you,
I know you feel alone,
But God told me that He needed me
He called me to come home.
It would seem to be an instant
In the twinkling of an eye,
An angel gently took my hand
And led me t’ward the sky.
I ascended into heaven beyond the pearly gates
Angels were rejoicing
Then I saw His radiant face.
God’s eyes shone down upon me
From the glory of His throne
He said “Enter into heaven
‘Cause heaven’s now your home.”
I fought the fight, I finished the race.
Throughout the trials, I kept my faith.
No longer do I suffer,
My body’s been made whole
I’m flying with the angels
“Cause heaven’s now my home.
God told me not to worry
He said you’d be OK
Because eternity’s forever
And we’ll meet again some day.
I fought the fight, I finished the race.
Throughout the trials, I kept my faith.
No longer do I suffer,
My body’s been made whole
I’m flying with the angels
“Cause heaven’s now my home.
Author unknown
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.valleyviewfuneralhome.com for the Schaad family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5