Ronald "Ron" Sonoda

Ron, you will be remembered.

Ron was helping me train for my first marathon by keeping me company for the first 5 miles of my daily run. As I was trying to distract myself from the arduous run, I looked up and asked Ron what tree was the one we were passing. His response was to the point: "I don't know! I never looked up." Thank you Ron for teaching me to look down as well as for so many other important life lessons. Always with love, isa

Dr. Sonoma will always have a special place in my heart. I worked with Dr. Sonoda at the research center starting when he was interim director. I was a newly single parent with a toddler and struggling and one day someone broke into my car and smashed the driver side window. I was so upset because I could not afford to get it fixed. He looked at me and said don't worry we will take care of it and the next thing you know a company was in the parking lot replacing the window. I don't know who...

When Ron retired from IFAS they needed someone to emcee his luncheon and I was asked to do it. I was reticent to do it because I had always been terrified of public speaking and had not graduated from College because I could not face a required Speech class. I finally agreed but was still terrified until I talked with Dr. Ron who gave me this piece of advice. When I stood in front of the audience I looked around and imagined everyone naked and told them it was not a pretty picture, everyone...