Ronald B. Enders

Ronald Byron Enders, Sr. aged 69, passed away peacefully at his home December 2, 2025. He was pre-deceased by his parents Robert Byron Enders, Sr. and Patricial Ann Raymond Flickiger. He is survived by his children, Nicole Enders Ortiz of Willimantic, CT, Ronald (R.B.) Enders, Jr. of Vernon, John Enders of Columbia, CT, Shane Enders of Colchester, CT, his grandchildren Nicholas Ortiz of Hebron, CT, and Alexander Ortiz of Manchester, CT, and his siblings Michael and Tracy Enders of Coventry, CT, Jerry Enders of Tolland, CT, Robert (Bob) and Margie Enders of Mt. Airy, MD and Denise Enders (MCD) ("Bug") and Hans Olsen of Manchester CT.
Uncle Ron was loved by Mary Leigh Enders (Goddaughter), Joshua Enders, Lissa Allen, Kevin Enders, Melanie Enders, Christopher and Stephanie Enders, Kelsie Enders, Amy and Roger Osorio, Joey McCann, Matthew and Katelyn McCann, Hunter Olsen and Mara Chase and Hannah Olsen. His great nieces and nephews loved that Uncle Ron would let them do just about anything, anytime, anywhere. Isaac, Evan and Jax Spencer, Mason McCann, Rory and Callie McCann, Owen Enders and Emma and Aidan Enders will miss his generous spirit. His cousins, Michael and Heather Pileski and their children Naomi, Jacob and Chad, were very dear to him.
Soon after high school, Ron enlisted in the United States Navy. Toward the end of boot camp, it was discovered that he had hearing issues and he was honorably discharged. Not to be discouraged from serving his country, Ron then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After several proud years as a Marine, He was honorably discharged from the Marines and proudly carried himself as a Marine for the remainder of his life (Semper Fi).
Ron worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft (PWA) for the past twenty-five years. Before that he was a key early employee when his brother Michael and his wife Tracy started American Quality Resources (now MSI). Prior to that, Ron worked at an appliance store in Manchester before opening his own store in Middletown. He was a proud entrepreneur, hardworking, fair to his customers and supportive of his community.
Ron was an incredibly kind and generous person. He loved his children, family and friends with his whole heart. If you knew Ron, you knew any middle of the night call would be answered and anyone going through a hard time might expect a discrete donation or a needed gift and ongoing support. He loved big Enders family nights out and was always ready to contribute more than his fair share to make them happen. He seemed to always know when someone was struggling and would talk with them and offer them compliments and encouragement along with compassion. He donated generously and religiously to Toys for Tots, Wounded Warrior Project, and many other great causes. Anytime his nieces and nephews brought friends to family gatherings he welcomed them, found out as much as he could about them and made them a family member by the time they departed. He bought Girl Scout cookies, popcorn, crafts and more from family, friends of family and perfect strangers, whether he wanted them or not. Ron was very intelligent and loved deep conversations and spirited debates. He was spiritual and believed that he should treat others as he would like to be treated. He believed in heaven and that he would see those he loved and lost someday. He was simply a good person who loved hard and took care of others.
Ron loved his children and was happy to be involved in their activities. He created special memories as John and Shane's t-ball coach. They played on the team sponsored by his appliance store. He was also a den / troop leader in Cub Scouts through Boy Scouts. Ron's interests included cars, antique lawn tractors (an interest shared by John) and he was a venerated animal lover. Uncle Ron was single-handedly responsible for fat pets throughout the family. His canine nephew Henry will always cherish the memory of the time he spent with one of his favorite humans ever.
Ron was a world-wide traveler; especially for work. When young, he was stationed in Okinawa with the Marines. Once he started at PWA, his management expertise brought him to manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Japan, San Diego, Alabama, Maine as well as East Hartford and Middletown, CT. He tried to retire from PWA a number of times but became bored. PWA was happy to put him back into service every time he wanted to work as he was a very effective "Tiger-Team" leader, His specialty was to go into a troubled plant and turn it into a highly efficient and effective production facility.
Ron's family will hold visiting hours at the John F. Tierney funeral home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT on Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until 1pm. There will be a memorial remembrance with Military Honors at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers please make a donation online at the Marine Corps Toys for Tots website, toysfortots.org.
Stories Of Ron
Above all else, Ron was a much-loved Uncle to all of the kids in the extended Enders family. He always made each of the many nieces and nephews feel that they were individually special. Hunter remembers the time that Uncle Ron included him in a trip to Lake Compounce with the older cousins. Uncle Ron was very proud of his God-daughter Mary Leigh and her successful (hostile!) takeover of MSI when Michael retired. Ron would never pass up an opportunity to go to Josh's restaurant for a perfectly cooked and presented meal. Amy fondly remembers Uncle Ron as the life of every family party and his generosity in being a baby-sitter for Amy's kids when she was in a bind. The cousins never knew if they were going to get the Uncle Ron that wanted to sit quietly with his coffee or the one that would be the loudest at the party. Kevin proudly remembers the "Playboy" magazine that Uncle Ron got him for his first birthday as well as the time at the Bidwell when Uncle Ron bought dinner for Kevin, his Mom and John. Kevin also notes that Ron is the most ENDERS of all the Enders. Kelsie loved it when at a summer party Uncle Ron drove all the cousins around in the bucket of one of his prized tractors. Uncle Ron helped Hannah bury her grandmother's "haunted" roller skates under a tree in the back yard. The tree died. Jackson remembers that Uncle Ron always patted his head when walking by. Evan remembers Uncle Ron naked in the hot tub. During Mason's first trip to CT from his home in SC, Uncle Ron bought for Mason's birthday the wrestling ring that Mason had wanted. Melanie always loved it when Uncle Ron cooked breakfast the morning following a big family party. It was like he was feeding an entire platoon. Another of Melanie's memories of Uncle Ron was his post-divorce dance to Beyonce's "All The Single Ladies". Joey's best memories of Uncle Ron were his numerous examples of generosity toward members of the family. Joe also less-than-fondly remembers being sprayed by the water hose wielded by Ron at every family party. Roger, who is from Columbia South America came to a St. Patrick's Day party and was mystified why it was called "corned beef" when there was no corn in it. Uncle Ron made some corned beef hash for him the next day and made sure that there was some corn in it.
Ron was a great brother. He took his youngest brother Bob to the recruiters so that he could enlist into the Marine Corps. Uncle Bob also proudly includes himself as a Marine. His unpaid contributions to Michael at the beginnings of AQR (MSI) laid the foundation for a successful, now thirty-three year enterprise. Our middle brother Jerry remembers an adventurous, Ron-led road trip to Boston that turned out to be a round trip to nowhere. When Ron came home from the Marine Corps Ron and Denise sat out at the picnic table in the back yard of Lenox St getting drunk together. He allowed Denise to draw a Leo the Lion tattoo on his arm with a ball point pen. He then made the decision to go out on 384 to teach her to drive!! She was only 15. Recently, Ron and his bonus sister Tracy had dinner at their favorite restaurant Osa. Driving home, they were talking about never having been to Butterballs in Hebron and that they should really give it a try. They stopped, enjoyed what appeared to be a big celebration with bands and a free buffet and met many friends from Ron's time living in Hebron and serving as a volunteer fire fighter. Then they found out Butterball's had been sold and it was the grand opening of the new Green Leaf Cafe. Ron said as long as the sign was still up they were counting it as Butterballs! Hans will miss his fellow Leo brother. He knows this because Ron is the only person who would be allowed to park their big yellow sled of a car in his driveway for 2 years.