Ronald Joseph "Google" Coll

Ronald Joseph Coll, born 1934, believed in love at first sight, and he would have loved to tell you all about why. He said he fell in love with his "wonderful" wife (his words), Linda Jarmark, the moment he saw her in Washington Heights. They spent over 65 years together, raising two children and doing it all again with two granddaughters. Other things Ron Coll believed in: Fixing things the second they broke, playing chess, working hard, bicycling up the Palisades, ignoring all limits for how long a speech should be, writing letters by hand, showing up for family, doing his civic duty, having half a muffin for breakfast daily, chocolate malts, robes, the New York Mets, staying up until 2 a.m., smoking pipes and enjoying life fully. Those who had the joy of sitting next to Ron at dinner likely walked away with at least one new fact because the man was a walking encyclopedia, nicknamed "Google" by his family. A long-running joke was to ask Ron about how a diesel engine worked, because he actually could tell you.

Ron was a longtime resident and fixture of Radburn, a historic community in New Jersey. Until he was 23, he didn't leave the New York area, where he lived in the Barrio. He ended up traveling to Japan, Cyprus (twice) and all over the U.S. and Europe, thanks in part to his love for travel and his legendary career in sound system sales. His career began at Harvey Radio, where he ended up as vice president of the company. He later started his own company and, after exhausting every facet of home audio, with customers like Peter Sellers and Tony Randel and Broadway theaters, he found time to get countless speakers for all of his son's friends. In his son's words, "His amazing command of the English language somehow did not have the word NO in it."

Before he died at the age of 91, he wrote a book where he shared some wisdom, including relationship advice. His tips: Follow the golden rule and "make certain that your brain is in gear before speaking." He was the model for a man: Big-hearted, shockingly smart and witty, kind, patient, capable, devoted, always ready to lend a hand and find meaning in life's challenges. When a family member walked in the room, he smiled like he hadn't seen them in a year and was so thrilled they had arrived. In the six months he was ailing, he didn't eat a meal alone, which demonstrates the love he had for his friends and family was mutual. We are all better for having known Ron.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; his children, Steven (partner Twisne) and Lisa (husband Nick), his granddaughters Elena (husband David) and Alexa, his nephews Miguel (wife Joy), Wayne (wife Marjorie), and nieces Rosalina (husband Michael), Joyce (husband George), and Elaine, as well as other family members. He is preceded in death by his mother, Encarnacion, and father, Miguel; and sister Gloria (husband Antonio) and brother Victor (wife Marie).

Of his life, Ron wrote, "It turned out pretty well and I have no complaints."

If you would like to make a memorial gift in honor of Ronald Coll, please donate to:

The INN
211 Fulton Avenue
Hempstead, NY 11550
The-inn.org

The Fair Lawn Food Pantry
(checks made payable to Fair Lawn Human Services Trust)
8-01 Fair Lawn Avenue
Fair Lawn, NJ. 07410
(fairlawn.org – Choose "Fair Lawn Human Service" from the list)