RONALD L FRENCH Sr.

Ronald L. French, Sr., of Itasca, IL, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 12, 2020, at the age of 84. Ron is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Alice Gorman. Before meeting Alice, Ron was married to Dorothy with whom he raised his children and continued a caring relationship. He is survived by his children, Patti (Mark) Von Vogt, Ron Jr., Laurie (Glenn) Samuel and Dan; five amazing grandchildren, Katie, Bobby, Amy, Trisha and David; and many dear friends.

Ron was born in Chicago on December 22, 1935, to Helen (Wienke) and Jerry. When Ron was 6 years old, his only sibling, Jerome, died a hero in the U.S. Navy in World War II. From the ages of 3 to 9, Ron lived on a family farm in Vermontville, MI, where his aunts and uncles played an important role in his development, especially Uncle Leon, Aunt Beulah and Aunt Lottie. Ron returned to Chicago and attended Bishop Quarter Junior Military Academy in Oak Park, IL, Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, IL, and Loyola University in Chicago.

By the time Ron was 22, both of his parents had passed away and he was married with an infant and another child on the way. Despite hardships, within a few years, through perseverance and some colorful negotiations, Ron purchased a home on the northwest side of Chicago where his family would live for the next 20 years. Ron secured a job at U.S. Motors in Chicago, which was the opportunity he needed to start his management career. Throughout his career, he worked at several companies, including Inlander-Steindler Paper Company and LaSalle Messenger Paper Company. Ron was Vice President of Distribution at Unisource and then continued with the company as a Consultant, before retiring in 1996.

Ron had many interests and attained a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics, including automobiles, aircraft, hunting, baseball, basketball, and military strategy (especially related to World War II). He loved to travel and visited Australia, South America and Africa. After retirement, Ron and Alice travelled extensively across the United States. Eventually, Ron bought a second home in Lecanto, FL – God's Country, as he once referred to it, and stayed there as often as he could. Ron had fond memories of his high school years at Marmion Military Academy. He looked forward to the reunions and remained in touch with several Marmion classmates.

In his early 50s, Ron developed serious health issues. As was his nature, he learned all he could about his condition and became his own best advocate. He worked closely with medical professionals and, although he endured many medical procedures and several serious surgical interventions throughout the past 30 years, he stayed active and rarely complained. Throughout his life, and up through his last days, Ron remained in control of his destiny in a dignified manner.

Ron was involved in several organizations, including lifelong membership in the National Rifle Association. He was a proud member and Past President of both the Rotary Club of Broadview and the Broadview Chamber of Commerce.

Ron was an active member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Itasca, IL. Visitation will be on Friday, February 21, 2020, from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM in Margaret Woods Hall, located at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church at 551 N. Rush St, Itasca, IL, with a funeral mass to follow at 9:30 AM in the church. A reception will be held at White Eagle at 12:30 PM in Niles, IL. Interment will be private at St. Adalbert's Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Ashish Haryani, MD, and his staff for their medical care and dedication. A special thank you to Mansoor Khan, MD, and his staff for their extraordinary medical care and guidance over the past 20 years.