Ron: You were a good friend and colleague and I miss you.  --Khalid Siddiqi

Your memory, your kindness, and love will live on forever ! Hard to believe it’s been a year ! Keep rejoicing ! 

Ron was a great colleague and friend.  He was kind and considerate and supported scholarships for Construction Management Students.
Thank you Ron.  --Khalid Siddiqi

Dear Bubba, although our association was relatively short lived, because we only met a few times in the past 16 years, we immediately felt your kinship to our family, and we loved you and Gigi dearly. 
We promise to look after your grandchildren, Joaquin and Alicia, until the day we meet you again. 
You and Gigi will always be in our hearts. May you Rest In Peace 🙏🏽

With great sadness, 

Guenter and Vilma. 

Jerry and I had the honor to move across the street from Gerre and Ron in March of 2019.  They were the first to welcome us to the neighborhood, and the ones who became fast friends.     After Gerre died,  Ron's  resilience  to carry on  was steady.   As the Covid-19 pandemic  brought new rules,  he  and Jerry would "social distance" during  the hot summer  months at " happy hour" on the front lawn or  in our garage - reminiscing their younger days,  discussing current events,  or sharing books they had read.    We will miss Ron,  but we are comforted that he leaves a remarkable legacy of intelligence,   generosity,  goodness,  love,  and kindness,  through  his son and  grandchildren.    

I had the privilege of working with Dr. Ron Koger during the last twenty three years.  We both worked at Southern Polytechnic State University which was consolidated into Kennesaw State University in 2015. 
I am very sorry to hear about the passing away of Dr. Ron Koger who was a good friend and supporter of the Construction Management Department, where I had the opportunity to serve.
May the survivors of Dr. Koger have the courage and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.  

I am so sorry about Ron’s passing. He was such a kind and decent man. I worked at SPSU/KSU, and anytime I needed help, he would always go one or two steps beyond, especially in helping a student. 

He was such a fun person to be around, also. Every time I spoke with him, when I left, I would have a smile on my face and happiness in my heart! That’s just the way he was with everyone! 

To his family, I’ve been praying for y’all, that the Lord will give you strength, peace and comfort during this sad time. You have been blessed with such a wonderful man in your lives and for such a long time! 

Take care.

Our sincere condolences to the family of Dr Ron Koger! 

We have lost a kind and compassionate soul.
Ron and Gerre were always positive and caring every time I visited them.
It was an Honor  and Blessing to know them both. I will miss our many conversations. They both loved their family. Prayers for everyone.
Rest In Peace Sweet Ron🙏🏻


Ron's was a life  well lived and  well loved.  This special person  gave so much of himself to make it better,  brighter, more hopeful and often more fun for so many.   That was just Ron's generous way,  shared by his beloved wife.   You will be deeply missed, Ron and  always remembered.  I am so saddened by your loss but we were all lucky to have you in our lives.    

Prayers for comfort and peace for Ron Koger's wonderful family.   

Dr. Ron Koger will be missed. He is the sole reason that I have gotten so far in my life. We first met at Southern Polytechnic in the spring of 1999. I was having financial aid troubles. One of my student loans went in default while I was going to school fulltime.  Dr. Koger helped me by waiving my tuition and dorm fees for spring quarter. Long story short, I ended up paying off my default loan and my financial aid was reinstated that quarter.  I also maintained a 3.0 for spring quarter. Although I didn't graduate from SPSU, Ron made a huge impact on my life.  I am glad that I was able to talk to him and tell him thank you for everything that he did for me. I will never forget what he did for me and I know from reading other posts that he has made many selfless acts to help others. Dr. Koger will be missed but never forgotten.  Rest in peace my friend and mentor. 

Ron will forever be one of my best memories ever. I wish I could be there to tell each of you how much he of an impact he has had on so many lives, but if you new him you already know that. Your loss will be in my prayers.

I was saddened to hear of Ron's passing.  I'm an alumnus of SPSU and former board member of the Alumni Association.  In working with Ron I gained an appreciation of his efforts to advance the cause of the university.  He possessed the qualities and attitude that made his work absolutely stellar.  I have a deep appreciation and regard for who he was and what he accomplished.  He also was a friend.

Please express my deep condolences to Ron's family. Ron was one of the most hard-working--and most kind and positive--colleagues with whom I ever worked in academe. For a few years, when he and I served together on the senior staff at Southern Poly, I marveled at how he could deal with thorny questions in quick order and with a smile on his face--and always with the best interests of students as his main goal. I learned a good deal from watching him work, and he gave me wise counsel when I really needed it. When I retired from SPSU in 2003, Ron extended his kindness to me and served as a reference--helping me to continue in my career for another nine years. I'll always be grateful for his help and am very sorry he has left us. The world is a much better place for his having been a part of it.

Words can’t express how saddened I am about Ron’s passing. He was one in a million. He was the most generous person I’ve ever known. Always there to help students,  parents or staff. His fun sense of humor uplifted everyone.  We have lost a shining light in this sometimes dark world.  Rest In Peace, dear friend. There is a void in many hearts today. You will never be forgotten.

Ron was one of the first persons I encountered during the University consolidation. He always engaged in meaningful and earnest conversation with everyone  regardless of rank or stature in the University community.  
So sorry to hear of his passing. 
Peace to Ron and family.

The first time I met Ron was after a college consolidation.  Even during unexpected and challenging circumstances, he always remained positive and upbeat. I always appreciated his humor and our interactions. I'll always remember him as emboding what a professional admission leader should be. May you rest in peace. 

Ron was a caring and inspiring man.  He lived a productive and influential life.  May he live on in our memories.

I have carried pieces of Ron with me my whole adult life and will continue to.  He taught me so much but most importantly how to treat people and value life.  He touched so many and anyone who met him is better for doing so.  Thoughts with your family as you mourn the loss, but celebrate the man.  Husband Father Mentor Friend Leader.  Former President of NACAC, member of SACAC, IACAC, AACROA, worked at Pittsburg State, IIT, Indiana State, UAH, Southern Poly Tech, Kennesaw State.  Served as Interim President & many other roles

Dr. Koger was my boss’s boss when I was a student worker at SPSU.  However, he never treated me as just a student worker and always found ways to make me feel valued and important.  I honestly would have never made it through college or my dad’s death without him! He made countless opportunities available for me.  I really loved him and will truly miss him.  There is no greater, more compassionate, more humble, or funnier person than he was.

I started at KSU in 2016 (shortly after the SPSU KSU consolidation) and had the pleasure of working in the administration building with Ron. On my very first day, he went out of his way to make me feel welcome and right at home. I’ll certainly miss the many mornings in his office, drinking coffee from the famous “Koger Cafe” and solving all of the world’s problems. 

Ron embodied the spirit of a servant leader and truly cared about every member of the campus community. He will be sorely missed. 

Dr. Koger was one of the first people I had the pleasure of meeting upon my arrival to Southern Polytechnic State University here in Georgia back in 2006. With both of us having real estate backgrounds, we shared a common interest in new developments, each enjoying driving housing communities in our spare time. He supported my efforts in completing my undergraduate degree while being a single mom and working full time. He was a father figure to many of us, providing guidance and perspective when needed and reassuring us that whatever we were being challenged with, everything would - be okay. He was a purposeful leader, leading with wisdom and love and not by title. Thank you to his family for sharing him with us. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.

On behalf of Dean Rick Ginsberg and the University of Kansas School of Education & Human Sciences, we send heartfelt condolences to the Koger family. Dean Ginsberg and Ron spoke by phone this past summer to  share Ron’s  memories of KU and to thank him for his “Rock Chalk Jayhawk!” school spirit. KU development officer Chris Hepp and Ron had a memorable dinner together at the OK Cafe in December 2018. Ron‘s memory will be kept in Bailey Hall on the KU campus and with those who knew and admired his career-long contributions to American education.

A walk down memory lane courtesy of SPSU Staff Council with special thanks and sincere admiration for a wonderful man - 
Dr. Ron Koger. 

Remembering Dr. Ron Koger as a fine gentleman and caring, supportive colleague to the family campus community at SPSU as well as a treasure for KSU.  As staff, we always felt the support, guidance, and wisdom of Dr. Koger.  He was always generous with his time and resources from the boardroom to picnics in Sycamore Grove.  We always stood a little taller and shined a little brighter under his servant leadership.  Countless benefits and a legacy that will endure.  My thoughts and prayers are with Ron's family as his spirit continues to warm our hearts.  

How can I ever state all of my memories of Ron?  I remember the first time I met him when he interviewed at Southern Poly  (he ended up serving us   all ice tea himself, instead of us serving him)....yep, that was RON and it makes me smile to think about that evening (He was just different in a wonderful and kind way) ....I retired in 2008 (long before Ron), but  he was not only my boss, he was my friend.  He was always the first person in the Office and usually the last to leave the Office.  He will be remembered for his kind  heart  and his "love" for all of the College Students that passed through the doors of the Universities he served....  My prayers and thoughts are with the entire family....All of us who had contact with Ron can be proud that we knew him and we were, in some way, a part of his family!  Gini Head


Ron was an amazing colleague and friend who did so much for the students, faculty, and staff of SPSU and KSU.  Not only did he help lead through the consolidation process, but he represented both campuses well thereafter as part of the President's leadership team.  His legacy lives on in so many ways, including one of my favorite roads: "Koger Drive" on the Marietta campus.

Ron was my mentor, colleague and friend over the many years he was at Southern Polytechnic State University and Kennesaw State University.  I could always call him with a problem, and he would give me excellent advice.  He encouraged me to take on new opportunities and challenges.  I will greatly miss him.

Our community has lost a great educator whose name will not be forgotten.  

Ron and Gerre Koger were very generous and made recent history two years ago: 

Ron Koger(Feb. 4, 2019) Longtime Kennesaw State University administrator Dr. Ron Koger, along with his wife Gerre, recently established an endowed scholarship to benefit KSU students on the Marietta campus. The Ron and Gerre Koger Endowed Scholarship provides financial support to a deserving student who is enrolled in either the College of Architecture and Construction Management, the College of Computing and Software Engineering or the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.

“You see so many students who need just a little bit more and so we decided to go ahead and create our own scholarship,” Dr. Koger said. “This is the first year it’s been given.”

Koger currently serves KSU as special assistant to the president on the Marietta campus. In 1997, he was hired at the former Southern Polytechnic State University as vice president for enrollment management. From 2000-14, his duties expanded and he held the title of vice president for student and enrollment services. Koger was interim president of SPSU from June 2014 until January 2015, when consolidation was completed.

Besides the new scholarship, Koger has been a generous donor to Southern Poly and then Kennesaw State for more than 21 years. Recently, he has supported the Science Olympiad, the Department of Athletics’ Owl Fund and the President Lisa Rossbacher Endowed Scholarship.

“We can, so it’s something we ought to do,” Koger said of his and Gerre’s decades of giving.

Koger can be seen with Gerre at events on and off the KSU campuses. They are season-ticket holders for the football and basketball teams, and regularly attend concerts and musicals.

“We almost never watch TV,” Koger said.

My thoughts and prayers are with you at this sorrowful time. I knew Ron through his outstanding work in the field of admission and enrollment.  He was a dignified and smart professional, and  a kind man.  May your memories with him sustain you going forward.

Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of Dr. Koger. He was a great man, genuine honest soul, who will be greatly missed. He was one of the kindest men I have ever had the honor of knowing.  He is truly irreplaceable.  

Praying for the family and friends for God's peace and love during this time. 
 
Love always,
Marilyn

OBITUARY

Ronnie "Ron" Ray Koger

2 August, 1939 – 3 January, 2021

Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home and Memorial Park

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services