Ramona Ilene Muse

West Des Moines

Ramona Ilene Muse passed away Saturday, May 17th with family at her side. Her visitation will be held on Monday, May 26th from 5 to 7 p.m. with a rosary service at 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines. A Funeral Mass and Gathering will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 27th at Sacred Heart. Burial will follow at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.

Ramona was born on June 9th, 1928 to Dante and Carmela Romeo in Des Moines, Iowa. She was born to a large Italian family where she was the second youngest of four brothers and three sisters (Garibaldi, Joseph, Raymond, Dante, Rachel and Carmela). She graduated from St Joseph’s Academy and spent a year at Iowa State University before settling down with her soul mate of 66 years, John Edward Muse.

Ramona and John have been owner/operators of roller skating family fun centers in the Ames and Des Moines Area for over 50 years. After losing their Ames location to a tornado, they brought roller skating to West Des Moines in 1970 with the opening of Skate West, followed by Skate East, Skate North and Skate South. Ramona served on the Board of Directors for the Roller Skating Association International for nearly a decade and was vice president of her section. She gave numerous seminars nationwide to help other Skating Center operators, most notably her “101 Ideas Campaign” and the creation of the “Roller Ed Program” which brought roller skates to schools all around the country.

Besides roller skating, Ramona loved art, dance, sewing, and all things creative. She held many jobs in her 85 years including toy salesman, figure skating coach, show choreographer, graphic designer, costume designer and events planner. She was known by many as a second mom - spending countless hours teaching and encouraging young children at her skating centers. Most of all Ramona was passionate about Jesus. She went to daily mass and was active with Sacred Heart Church for many years. She cherished the friendships made through Chirp as well as Eucharistic and Homebound ministries.

Ramona was preceded in death by her son, John Dante Muse and grandson, Jubal Muse. She is survived by her husband, John and her five remaining children and the spouses of all six of her children; Lark (Greg) Hinman, Mark (Debbi) Muse, (Valerie Findley and Diane Muse), Becky (Cory) Hundley, Dante (Romina) Muse and Antony (Cassandra) Muse; grandchildren, Mona, Annah, Emery, London, Alexi, Logan, Dominic, Delaney, Hannah, Ramona, Willie, Mackenzie, Cole, Faith, Lorenza, Gabrielle, Rachel, Antony, Ellasandra and Sofia; great-grandchildren, Sayge, Rylan, Kenley, Hudsen, Tucker, Bailee, Andy and Ruby. Besides her big Italian family, Ramona will also be greatly missed by her last living brother, Dante Romeo and countless nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. All are invited to remember and celebrate her life on May 26th and 27th at Sacred Heart Church.

Memorial contributions can be made in her name in lieu of flowers to the Stroke Association at www.Stroke.org/memor.