More detail on this person: Ronald McBride Ronald McBride Edwardsville Intelligencer (IL) - Tuesday, February 24, 2009 IL United States Ronald H. McBride, age 61, of Glen Carbon, formerly of Granite City, passed away at 3:36 a.m., on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, at his residence after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born on Jan. 28, in 1948, in Chester, Penn. He married Patricia Hoffmann, of Granite City, on June 3. 1967, in Mineral Wells, Texas. Ron was an officer in the U.S. Army, serving two tours of duty during the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot, then continued his military career for 26 years, during the time he was stationed in various bases in Texas, Georgia, Alabama and in Germany, where he was a R.O.T.C. instructor and worked as a comptroller before retiring at the rank of Lt. Colonel. After retiring, he started his own real estate business and was the founder and General Manager of the Cherry Hills Properties in Edwardsville. Ron had a passion for flying. He owned his own aircraft for many years and earned multiple pilot ratings for various types of aircraft including Lear Jet, seaplane, helicopters, multi engine aircraft and hang gliders; he even flew a Cessna single engine aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean from Germany to the United States. He was president of a flying club while living in Germany, worked as a flight and ground school instructor and worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as a flight examiner. Ron earned his Masters in Business from Kansas State University, was a member of the Metro East Landlords Association, St. Boniface Catholic Church in Edwardsville, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, was a volunteer Usher at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, lifetime member of the Eagle Scouts of America Association, having earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager. He enjoyed snow skiing, traveling, water sports, collecting model trains, theater, animals-especially his two cats, Sparky and Daisy, and bowling-where he met his wife. He loved spending time with his family. To him, nothing was more important in life than his family. His motto was A¢ ,Å"Family first, duty second.A¢ ,A Ron was a very giving individual, always looking for ways to help others. People always looked to him for mentorship and he never turned down the opportunity to help another person. He modeled his life after the philosophies A¢ ,Å"Do good deedsA¢ ,A and A¢ ,Å"Good things happen to good people.A¢ ,A Ron is survived by his wife of forty two years, Patricia Hoffmann McBride; three daughters: Kimberley and Robert Prater of Tallahassee, Fla., Laura and Martin Deckert of Bad Homburg, Germany, and Beth McBride of Dayton, Ohio; brothers: Francis A¢ ,Å"RockyA¢ ,A McBride of Granite City, and Tim and Michelle McGrath of Granite City; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Lois and Lew Glasgow, Liz and Louie Rohlfing, Bob and Candance Hoffman; sisters-in-law: Nancy Wickham, Ruth Yager of Edwardsville, Donna Klopfer of Edwardsville; The Papooh of grandchildren: Allison, Rebecca, Kyle, Cameron Prater, and Patrick, Elena and Philip Deckert. He is proceeded in death by his parents, Francis and Vera Headley McBride; step mother: Charlotte McBride; and brother-in-law: Brice Wickham. Visitation will be on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Irwin Chapel, 591 Glen Crossing Road, in Glen Carbon, with a prayer service at 3:30 p.m. Christian Mass will be at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Edwardsville, at 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, Feb. 26, with Father Jeff Goeckner officiating. Interment will be at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Edwardsville, with full Military Honors. Memorials may be made to the Erica James (his niece) Medical Fund, St. Boniface Catholic Church or the Ronald H. McBride Scholarship Fund. Irwin Chapel in Glen Carbon is in charge of arrangements.
Burial information: Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Edwardsville, IL
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