Ronald Duane Futch

Ronnie was born on January 13, 1950 in Amarillo, Texas, to Edie and Harmon Lee Futch. He developed his love of golf and football as a child growing up in Ponca City, Oklahoma, where he spent his summers winning amateur tournaments and horse-playing at the local pool.

These skills (mostly golf) would earn him an athletic scholarship to the University of Arkansas where he would be awarded a Varsity Letter in golf and a BS in Business Management in 1973. After college, Ron followed his brother, Shelby, to Chicago to pursue a career in golf. After work with Twin Orchard and Bob O’Link Country Clubs, Ron and his brother opened Shelby’s Pro Shop in Deerfield, Illinois as one of the first retail stores in the country to offer discounted golf and tennis equipment. Shelby’s Pro Shop was a staple in Chicago’s North Shore, operating successfully for over 36 years. He also started a family with two sons, Ryan and Kevin. He also fully embraced the Chicago sports scene, with season tickets to the Bears, Cubs, and Bulls. In 1993, Ron moved to Arizona to be closer to family. In Arizona, he continued his work in the Golf industry through digital marketing and memberships sales with Jacobs Golf, Painted Mountain Country Club, and Red Mountain Ranch Country Club. He also adopted two baby girls from Russia, Ali and Katie. Ron retired to a life of country club leisure and equity trading in 2015 and would spend his time as a loving father to his kids.

Ron cherished the outdoors and the American Southwest. His frequent trips to the mountains for hiking, skiing, and 4x4’ing were an annual tradition that he shared with all of his kids. He also had several health scares during his life, surviving a brain aneurysm, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a small pulmonary embolism, and several bouts of skin cancer in his later years. Despite these challenges, Ron fought each with a determination and vigor that was emblematic of his spirit for life.

Ron is preceded in death by his father, Harmon Lee Futch, and mother, Edie Nolan Futch, as well as his beloved golden retriever, Bailey.

He is survived by his brother Shelby (Lorie) Futch; sons Ryan Futch and Kevin Futch; his daughters Ali (Isias) Rosales and Katie Futch; and his first grandson Dominic Rosales.

Funeral services in Ron’s honor will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, March 6 at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park & Funeral Care (400 S. Power Rd. Mesa AZ). Family and friends are invited to honor and celebrate Ron immediately after in the “Celebration of Life Center” at Mariposa Gardens. From 4-6 PM, we will have food and beverage at Red Mountain Ranch Country Club (6425 E. Teton, Mesa, AZ) in the Red Mountain Room for all those who wish to attend. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate in his name to "Rescue a Golden of Arizona", a 501(c)3 non-profit, that supports the rescue of Golden Retrievers in the state, and helped Ron adopt Bailey, his best pal for the last 13 years. (https://www.golden-retriever.org/index.php/donations)