Ronald Lawrence Wortley

Ronald Lawrence Wortley, age 85 of Wyoming, MI entered his heavenly home Saturday, December 7, 2024. He was preceded in death by his brother, Harold Wortley and sister, Geneva Curry. He is survived by his wife, Susan (Pratt) Wortley; children Steven Wortley (Aimee), Rodney Wortley (Anita), Darla Carrier (Rebecca), and Karen Tuttle; the mother of his children, Ruth Wortley; grandchildren Brittany Wortley, Riley Wortley, Joseph Wortley, Gabrielle Wortley, Logan Tuttle, Kris Tuttle, Audrey Tuttle; brother, David Wortley.

Born June 13, 1939, to Raymond and Doris (Hynes) Wortley in Coats Grove, Michigan, Ron spent his childhood in Hastings, MI and Fort Morgan, Colorado. Ron attended the First Baptist Church of Hastings while in high school. When the church began airing their services on the radio, Ron became fascinated with broadcasting and electronics, in general. After graduating from Hastings High School in 1957, Ron attended Valparaiso Technical Institute, then went to work for General Electric in Utica, New York. A year after marrying Ruth Dolbee in June 1961, Ron received his draft notice and joined the United States Army, where he was trained in weather communications technology and awarded for marksmanship. He, with his wife Ruth, were stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, where their son Steven was born. Ron was honorably discharged that same year and returned to work at GE in Utica, NY, where their son Rodney was born.

In 1966, the family returned to the Grand Rapids, MI area. Soon after, the family moved to Jenison, and Ron began a 29-year career as an audio/visual technician for Jenison Public Schools. Starting with record players and filmstrips, he maintained and repaired every new technology, ending with video recording and computer systems in 1999. After retiring from Jenison, Ron became a broadcast engineer at Western Michigan University and retired from that position after five years. Ron attended Good News Baptist Church in Cutlerville, MI and served as the AV tech, deacon, and other roles for many years. In the early 1970s Ron attended Grand Rapids Baptist College, where he proposed and advocated for a campus radio station. The result was the creation of WCSG in 1973, which remains one of the top stations in the West Michigan market. As video technology advanced, Ron recorded and produced years of content for GRTV, the local access cable station.

Ron loved to travel and accomplished his goal of visiting all 50 states. Two of his most cherished adventures were backpacking trips on portions of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Another favorite trip was with Karen when they traveled to Grantham, England and visited St. Wulfram's Church to check library archives for the birth records of ancestor, Joseph Vincent Wortley, who traveled as a baby to the United States in 1851. In retirement, along with his wife, Sue, Ron enjoyed tracing family genealogies and local history. He served for many years with the Grandville Historical Commission, helping to cultivate and preserve artifacts and the Grandville Museum. As a video and photography enthusiast, Ron always had his camera on hand, ready to document the moment or find a beautiful image to capture. Known equally for his curiosity and genial nature, Ron will be remembered for his friendly, engaging manner, always wanting to be active, learning, and helpful in all situations.

Visitation will be held from 3-6 p.m. Friday, December 13, 2024 at Cook Memorial Chapel (East Building), 4235 Prairie St. SW, Grandville, Michigan. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, December 14 at Cook Memorial Chapel (East Building), with visitation from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to service. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in honor of Ron to West Michigan Genealogy Society or Grandville Historical Commission. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guestbook online.