Dr. Ronald Edward "Ron" Cossman

1955 - 2023

Dr. Ronald (Ron) Edward Cossman, died on Saturday, October 14, 2023, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Ron's beloved wife, Dr. Shelley Keith, and mother-in-law, Sharon Rollow, were at his side when he died, where they had been supporting and advocating for him while he was in the ICU battling pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Ron was born in Fort Lauderdale, FL, on September 13, 1955, the only child of Shirley and Harold (Hack) Edward Cossman.
He was a deeply caring man whose kindhearted and adventurous spirit and rich sense of humor shone through in every interaction. Ron got his adventurous spirit from his mother, celebrating her milestone birthdays with skydiving, hot-air balloon rides, helicopter rides, race car driving, and ziplining.

Ron had a deep love of learning. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of North Florida, followed by a master's degree in demography and population studies at Florida State University (Go 'Noles!). He graduated with his doctorate in geography in 2001 from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Upon retirement from Mississippi State University in 2022, Ron was granted Research Professor Emeritus status. He was the president of the Southern Demographic Association in 2014. Ron secured over $4.2 million in research grants and contracts, providing much needed funds for major contributions in education, rural health and the well-being of children, among others.

Ron married Shelley on December 31, 2015, on the beach at St. George Island, Florida. Ron and Shelley shared many adventures together - biking across Iowa (RAGBRAI); competing in many running and obstacle course events; and training in and teaching Taido, a Japanese martial art. They swam with dolphins in Jamaica, traveled to Scotland to "reclaim Shelley's ancestral lands," competed in Taido in Japan, visited dear friends in Idaho and Colorado on a trip to see Yellowstone, and viewed glaciers from a seaplane in Alaska. When not on adventures, Ron and Shelley enjoyed walking hand-in-hand around their Bartlett, TN, neighborhood.

Ron is survived by his wife, Dr. Shelley Keith; mother, Shirley Ann Barall; uncle, Dr. Ronald Tice Spangler, Jr.; cousins, Barbara (BJ), Ben, and Langdon Moss; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sharon and Dave Rollow; sister-in-law Melissa Norris, nephew Liam Norris, and nieces, Cassandra and Amelia Rose Norris; three sweet kitties, Gabrielle, Elsa and Anna; and many friends who love and miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his father and stepfather, William (Bill) Barall.