Ronald Wise, 83

Ron Wise passed away peacefully in December 2023. He was surrounded by Marsha, his loving wife of nearly 30 years, his family, and a lifelong friend. Ron succumbed to complications of Lewy Body Disease.

Ron was born in 1940, the eldest of five siblings, to loving parents Harold and Donna (Evans) Wise. He was blessed to have grandparents, many aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins who lived close enough to picnic together often in beautiful parks. Every summer, the family drove to California to visit his mother's relatives, stopping at National Parks along the way. This was the start of Ron’s life-long love of the outdoors.

As a youngster, Ron was very industrious. He worked several newspaper delivery routes, riding his bicycle while he pulled a small model car just for the fun of it. His father was both his mentor and an enthusiastic supporter, often driving Ron and his friends to the pool to swim. The support and encouragement of his loving family facilitated Ron achieving the highest rank in Boy Scouting, that of Eagle Scout, an accomplishment that deepened his love of the outdoors and brought him joy throughout his life.

Ron attended Olympus High School in Salt Lake City. A highlight of this time in Ron’s life was a trip he took with his friends floating down the upper Utah portion of the Colorado River prior to the containment of Lake Powell by the building of the Glenn Canyon Dam. He often spoke of how wild and scenic the Colorado River was and the fun he had with his buddies. The summer before his Senior year in High School, his family moved north to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. There, his family had a boat to enjoy Lake Coeur d'Alene. This move spurred Ron’s love of boating, fishing, and water sports, and he became an accomplished water skier. 

After graduating from High School, Ron matriculated at the University of Idaho. He pledged Delta Tau Delta (Delta Mu Chapter), joined ROTC, and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. He then married Betty Hamlet of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They had three sons, Todd, Scott and Robert.

Ron was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army, and upon graduating from an officer basic course, he served at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He was promoted to First Lieutenant, and at the end of his tour of duty, Ron and his family returned to the West Coast, eventually settling in Portland. There he was employed by Carrier Heating and Air Conditioning. In later years, he became a successful owner of his own HVAC Manufacturing Representative Business. He was a well-respected member of the Portland American Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and enjoyed visiting with other members at the meetings.

In mid-life, Ron was divorced and later married Marsha Clifford. Marsha was a good friend of his sister, Charlyn, since junior high school, and she knew most of his family. Ron often joked about how easy it was to marry Marsha because he did not have to introduce her to many people. He often told her that "She was the love of his life," and how fortunate he felt to spend most of his adult life with her. Their interests and love of the outdoors were well-matched, and they enjoyed many of the same activities. They Heli-skied the Canadian Rockies, traveled to Europe to explore their heritage, and visited National Parks, touring Yellowstone and Bryce most years.

Ron truly valued being with his family. He rode his bicycle and snow skied with his brother, Brent, and sister Charlyn in many memorable locations. His sister Susan baked him delicious cookies and they stayed in close contact. Ron often said his most important goal was to be a good father and grandfather. He felt fortunate to have four grandchildren: Jacob, Evan, Aria and Wesley.

Ron was known to be kind and took time to listen to everyone. He got a kick out of taking things apart and could repair anything. Ron was very athletic. He did 100-mile bicycle rides in a day, windsurfed in the highest winds in the Columbia River Gorge, Heli-skied deep powder, and was a scuba diver. He loved music, especially Elvis, making his own CD's of only the best tracts. Ron had a very artistic eye and took absolutely beautiful photographs.

Ron is survived by his wife, Marsha (Clifford), son Todd (wife Kelly, grandson Jacob, grandson Evan), son Scott, son Rob (wife Cynthia, granddaughter Aria, grandson Wesley), his sister, Susan Gundle (husband John) of Beaverton, Ore., brother Brent (wife Debbie) of Phoenix, Ariz., sister-in-law Brooke Clifford, (Randall Stothers) of Portland, Ore., brother-in-law Michel Clifford (wife Vicky) of Springfield, Ark., and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Bob (killed in the Vietnam War), and his sister, Charlyn (husband Bill) of Spokane, Wash. Donations may be made in Ron’s honor to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (www.lbda.org).