Ronald E. Emerine

1929 - 2019
Ronald Emerine, a retired AT&T executive, died on December 1, 2019 in Ambler, Pennsylvania after suffering a stroke six weeks earlier.

Mr. Emerine was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and grew up in Pueblo, Colorado. During his high school years and college summers, he served as a bricklayer's helper at the CF&I steel mill. He also worked at the Pueblo Ordnance Depot in 1945, loading bombs and shells onto shipments for WWII combat. He received a full scholarship to attend Yale University, where he graduated in 1951. In 1976, he earned a Master's Degree from Pace University. He was employed by Mountain Bell in Colorado and by AT&T in Manhattan for 32 years, retiring in 1985 as Assistant Corporate Secretary.

In the late 1970's while in his forties, Mr. Emerine was inspired by Jim Fixx's The Complete Book of Running. Over the next 11 years, he finished 25 marathons in the US and internationally in Stockholm, London, Athens, New Zealand and Moscow. He completed the New York City Marathon nine times. During his full 15-year running career, he participated throughout the world in over 125 other organized races, from 5Ks to half marathons.

He and his wife Orpha raised their family in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. After later moves to Summit and Toms River, they relocated to Pennsylvania in the 1990's.

At the age of 75, Mr. Emerine completed Penn State's Master Gardener program. He designed and planted a stunning native plant garden at his own home, wrote gardening advice for his community newsletter, and volunteered on the Penn State Chester County gardening hotline.

Mr. Emerine held a lifelong love of English literature and poetry. He was an avid follower of current political affairs, enthusiastically supporting "blue wave" candidates even though he had been a Republican until 2008. He was a talented photographer and artist, with plans to start new paintings in 2020 at his apartment in Dresher.

Mr. Emerine is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Orpha, daughters Corinna Rowe (Michael), Christine Paris (Albert) and son in law Michael Neibert (Sally). He is the adored grandfather to Alissa Walmsley (Michael), Katie DeVito (Michael), Vincent Paris (Dorri), and Julianna Paris and great grandfather to Oliver and Matthew Walmsley. His cherished daughter Susan died in 2012. The family plans a private celebration of Mr. Emerine's life. Donations in Mr. Emerine's memory can be made to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 123 William St, New York, NY 10038 www.plannedparenthood.org.