Our beloved dad, Ronny Lee Douglas, took his final ride from this world on Thursday, November 16th after a long battle with dementia. He was visited and surrounded by his family in his final years, months, and moments. His family tried to find joy and togetherness amid all the complexities this disease forced upon us. Even in his final months, he never lost his mischievous nature and obvious love for his family. He kept his personality right up to the end, and that was a true blessing for us in the midst of our loss.
Our dad had many roles in his 77 years. He was a son, a father, a brother, a grandfather, a coach, and a dear and kind-hearted friend to those who knew him. For 37 1/2 years, he was a proud member of the Anderson Fire Department and forged strong friendships as a Battalion Chief and trusted peer and mentor at any fire station where he served. He worked extremely hard, sometimes having multiple second jobs to provide the best life he could for his family. After retirement, he owned Douglas Auto Sales. He loved to hang out at the car lot with his close friends and his brothers Butch, Mike, Ralph, and Steve. Spending the day “shootin’ the sh**” at the car lot was a joy for him for many years. He also used that experience to help countless family members and people he barely knew to gain reliable transportation. So many “creampuffs” passed through his hands and into the hands of someone who desperately needed a solid car. Dad loved the car lot and the chance it allowed him to meet new people and hang out with family and old friends.
Although our dad proudly served the city of Anderson as a firefighter and held many other titles, his greatest love was his family. He treasured spending time with his children and grandchildren. He was always willing to step in and coach or guide us in anything we chose to participate in. An avid sports fan–especially if one of his kids or grandkids were playing–he always encouraged us to do our best. He was a regular at the ballparks, gyms, and fields in Anderson and Pendleton, and all over the country lending his support to his favorite athletes. His competitive nature that stemmed from his own success as an athlete spilled over into all parts of his life. Family card nights were always an adventure at the Douglas house. He once taught all of us to be makeshift firefighters when one of us accidentally caught the woods next door on fire. He was a natural leader and always pushed us to be our best, but let us know that he loved us–even at our worst.
Dad became a parent at a young age, and also lovingly stepped in to help raise his siblings, Mike, Ralph, and Steve after the early loss of his parents, Melvin Douglas and Bonnie Jewel Douglas. He was a brother and a father to his younger siblings at a time when they had lost so much. As a father of his own, he was so proud of his three children, Michelle (Douglas) Surber, Amber Douglas, and Ronny Douglas and always gave his time and energy into making sure they had what they needed and knew how much he loved them. His pride in his children was extended to his grandchildren and was evident in everything he did. He truly enjoyed watching and encouraging them in all their endeavors. He devoted countless hours to watching and spending time with his grandkids– Hannah Douglas Trees, Hunter Douglas, Katie Surber, Maddie Douglas, and Maci Douglas. He was an active and avid participant in their lives and life in general. Looking back on his life, we struggle to find the words to truly convey all that our father meant to us. Whether he was “dad”, “coach”, “Pappy” or “Big Ronny”, he always was a shining example of what a father/grandfather should be. Our lives will never be the same as they were when he was here, but our lives will also never be the same because he was here. We were so blessed to have his presence in our lives and our hearts and he will remain there forever.
Our family would like to invite all who knew our dad to a Celebration of Life on Sunday, November 26th at the Fireman’s Lodge behind Station 8 at 105 W 53rd. We will be sharing memories and celebrating our dad’s life from 1-4 pm.