Ronald I. Sturgill

1932 - 2020

Ronald I. Sturgill

Ronald I. Sturgill, age 87, of Toledo, passed away on April 18, 2020, at The Manor at Perrysburg. Ron was born to Harrison Benjamin Sturgill and Grace (Suchomma) Sturgill on April 21, 1932. He was a graduate of DeVilbiss High School and The University of Toledo. Ron married the love of his life Shirley in 1970, who preceded him in death in 2013.

Ron was a member of Maumee United Methodist Church for 53 years and was on many different committees and chaired most of the committees he was a part of. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Air Force and served in the Korean War. After leaving the service, Ron worked at Jeep for a short time and in 1959 joined the Toledo Fire Department, a career he loved. He became Lieutenant in 1966, Captain in 1971, District Chief in 1976, and retired in 1986. One of Ron's favorite pastimes was talking to friends and family about his time on the fire department. Even as he aged and his memory began to weaken, he could still tell you where the fire hydrant was on any street on any side of town.

Ron was an avid pilot who owned a number of airplanes. His favorite airplane was his Beechcraft Debonair, which he and his wife would fly to Iowa together to visit the family farm every year. He was a member of the 582 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) where he held office of President and Treasurer. Ron greatly enjoyed the EAA fly-ins at Metcalf Airport in Walbridge. Ron enjoyed giving flights to Young Eagles and was honored as the only pilot in the EAA to give over 1,000 rides to children. He enjoyed sharing flights with friends and family, often taking his grandchildren flying over their neighborhood and Cedar Point. Ron was a member of the Masons for 68 years in addition to having the honor of joining Quiet Birdmen (QB), a secretive club in the United States for male aviators.

He and his wife were members of a dinner group at Maumee United Methodist Church for 25 years. Ron developed lifelong friends in this group and would meet monthly for dinner and take annual trips, including numerous cruises and vacations, of which he told many stories of great times together.

Ron's real passion was his workshop, which he and his firefighter friends built on to the back of his South Toledo home. He started his own company, Precision Optical, where he polished glass laser rods. Ron even has a laser on a telescope located on the moon! He created laser rods for military tanks that served in the Persian Gulf War and also made spacers for small aircraft that would go between the propeller and the engine. In addition, he made smoke rings for small aircraft. On a 5/8th scale, Ron built a Hawker Hurricane Fighter plane, which took him nearly 17 years to complete. Every year in the fall when his grandkids would come over, he would bring the airplane out of his workshop, turn the engine on, and blow all the leaves to the street! Ron always said that there wasn't anything he couldn't create or build in his workshop. During the last two years while he fought his illness, he continued to say he was going to get better so he could get back to building things.

Ron was a kind, hardworking, intelligent, passionate, yet stubborn man who would have given you the shirt off his back.

Ron has reunited with his wife of 43 years, Shirley, and a son, Tom Sturgill, in heaven. Surviving is son, Bruce Sturgill; daughters, Deborah (Bryan) Wisbon and Tami (Alan) Ellison; grandchildren, Shannon Bova, Joshua Pelton, Samantha (Luke) Amodeo, Michael Mitchell, Dustin (Michelle) Ellison, Robert (Shelby) Ellison, and Alan Ellison, Jr.; 9 great-grandchildren; and his beloved Golden Retriever and best friend, AJ.

Ron's family would like to thank the staff at The Manor at Perrysburg for their love and compassionate care given to Ron this past year. A Firefighter Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at a later date to honor Ron and his incredible life.

Gifts in honor of Ron can be made to Maumee United Methodist Church, 405 Sackett Street, Maumee, OH 43537.

To leave a special message for Ron's family, please visit

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