Sunday, August 3, 2008

Ron Stephenson, 1948-1971

Ron Stephenson's tribute page has been posted on our "Gators: Gone but not forgotten" Web site.

It's the same deal as with Earl Bittner's page. Click the link in the sidebar on the righthand side of this blog page. Then click Ron's name on the list of Deceased Classmates.

Again, credit goes to Bonnie Gardner Hillier for providing the newspaper clippings about Ron's death and the Portavians of 1967 and 1966 for the additional pictures.

Thanks to several of Ron's friends, including Artie Trunzo, Dottie Dinzeo, Bob Beck and Judy Gibson Brumfield, for verifying that the picture of Ron working on an art project is indeed Ron. And thanks to Kathie Mason Bolton and Phil Harris for echoing my belief that is Ron in the picture.

The information about Ron's name on the Vietnam Veterans Wall was found on a military Web site.

Please share your recollections and other thoughts and information by posting a comment at the end of this blog item or sending me an e-mail or letter. Ditto for photos, newspaper clips, etc. My contact info is at the bottom of Ron's page.

We can add your comments, stories and pictures to Ron's page. That's the wondrous thing about Internet publications. We're not stuck with what we print. We can revise things.

I more or less lived next door to Ron on Beechwood in high school. I couldn't see his house from mine because of all the woods between our lots.

Repeating what I wrote in the previous blog item about Earl Bittner, I'd love to add pictures and stories from all aspects of Ron's life, including school, military, church and family.

Are any of you in touch with Ron's family? We should let them know we're doing this.

Thanks for all your help.-Alana.

1 comment:

Dave Madjerich said...

Ron was a friend while at Gateway. He was real. What you saw is what you got. Outgoing and at times a "wee bit" loud. I remember his smile and mostly his good nature although at times, his temper showed. I do not know the circumstances on how he died in Vietnam but I am sure it was in doing his duty and probably giving more. I did find his name on the "Wall" while in DC. Ron was a character that I never forgot. He died too soon. Dave Madjerich