Ronald Smead

Ronald Smead, 68, a quintessential free spirit, literally became one when he passed away on the Ides of March 2025 of pneumonia in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ron was born on April 30, 1956, in Albany, New York, the third of the ten children of Rosemary Becker Smead and the late Kenneth W. Smead, Jr. Of the Smead children, Ron got ALL the charm. The house in Nassau, NY where he spent his middle and high school years was always full of his friends, a revolving door which was a delight to his younger siblings. When the phone rang in that house, no one other than Ron bothered to answer it, as it was invariably one of his friends. In addition to being immensely personable and friendly, Ron was also incredibly independent and self-assured. After a brief stint at college, he adopted the life of a nomad, hitchhiking across the country and back, working odd jobs to support himself. Eventually, his family extended beyond blood as he collected lifelong friends wherever he wandered, especially on golf courses from coast to coast! Wherever he went, Ron was always welcomed with open arms and had a place to stay because others wanted him in their presence. When Ron met Jayne Marie Donahue Smead, he knew he had met the love of his life and that his nomad days were over. They married on May 9, 1981, and eventually settled in Plymouth, Minnesota where they raised two sons, Rory Samuel Smead and Ryan Jay Smead. A humble man himself, Ron's pride in his children bordered on awe, so astounded was he that he had created such intelligent and talented men. Like his father, Ron became a skilled craftsman without any formal training. He worked as a mechanic in facilities maintenance and in his free time was an avid reader like his paternal grandmother and his father, escaping into fictional adventures when he was not engaging in a real one. Any doubt about the perfection of Ron's soul was answered over 10 years ago when, in the most profound act of selflessness, he devoted his life, 24/7 to Jayne's care after she was diagnosed with early dementia. Ron retired, sold their home, and went back to his calling as a nomad with Jayne always at his side. He balanced time between Minnesota, upstate New York–where he and Jayne still had a camp on Big Bowman Pond, South Carolina and Florida, seeking warmer weather and a longer golf season. Ron discounted the medical opinion that travel for a dementia patient was not healthy and was vindicated when, year after year, Jayne's doctors were astounded that she continued to thrive in his freestyle care. In addition to his wife and sons, Ron is survived by his daughter-in-law Laura Hansen Smead, his grandchildren Shaelyn and Corbin, his mother Rosemary, and his siblings Kenneth Smead III (Candace), Bryan (the late Darlene), Gregory (Deborah), Kevin (Michelle), Laurie Hill (Marcus), Melanie Thompson (Kenneth), Julia Bielawski (John) and Jennifer Cox (Adam). He is also survived by his lifelong friend, Charlie Blanchard, and his best golfing buddies, Jim Thompson, Roger LePoint and Mike Nesbitt. In addition to his father, Ron was predeceased by his brother and friend, Timothy Smead. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at John and Julia Bielawski's residence at 91 Manito Way, Averill Park N.Y. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Association in Ron's name.