Ronald Edward Fromm

Life is short – Eat dessert first

As a child he hated eating. According to Grandma, he ate oatmeal three times a day until he was ten.

But he did love his cars – had tons of cast iron collectibles to remind him along with all his other antique collectibles.

Some stories I remember him telling. One was he wasn’t the greatest in school and knew he wasn’t going to college, so he was very worried about being drafted. He came home from school one day and his friend, I believe Roger, called him from the Coast Guard

Recruiting Center. They said they had one opening left, and the center was over a mile away. Ron said he ran the whole way, which was extraordinary for him, and when he arrived there he was doubled over and couldn’t breathe. The recruiter asked him if he was okay. He said it took three times for him to get out: “Sign me up”.

I just remember seeing him in his uniform, I believe during his reserve days. After that he was able to get a job at the post office. He only remembers getting bit three times by dogs, and still loved them immensely even after that. He said for the most part he enjoyed the post office, mostly because of his coworkers. He did enjoy being around fun people. He had a short stint at TWA that did not pan out for him unfortunately because he loved to travel. He always loved his trips with Roger, then later Rita and Jean, then later years with David.

The whole time he was working though, his favorite hobby was “collecting”. Loved garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. Loved his jukeboxes, pinball machines, and anything from the 50’s era. He had signs, trains, furniture and anything else you could think of. I remember how hard it was for him when Bill and he sold his house on Coral to move to Florida. He knew he would have to get rid of most of his stuff that wouldn’t fit into the smaller house. But he got over it. He just got new stuff in Florida.

Him retiring was another good story. Too young for the government buyout and knew it wouldn’t be offered again. He would have to stay for many more years to retire. Then his boss calls him in one day and says they are dropping the age to get more people to go. Do you have any questions that you want to think about? His only question: If I sign that now, do I have to come to work tomorrow?

He had may great years in Florida and made many friends. He even recruited old friends from Saint Louis to move near them. Phyllis and Norman were a great blessing and a huge part of his life. He and Bill could not ask for any better friends.

In all Ron was an easy going, fun loving, laid back person who loved being around friends and family. He helped where he could. He volunteered for greyhounds with Norman and Phyllis, and St. Vincent food pantry with Mary whom he also went to weekly Mass with, and at a downtown soup kitchen.

Ron loved

Church - 3+ times a week

Family – would be there when he could

His foster and one “failed foster” greyhounds

Volunteering for greyhound adoption

Thrift store or Goodwill or garage sale – loved finding deals like waffle makers

Friends – always enjoyed being around others

Antiques

Old pinball machines – 6 at one time

Jukeboxes – had many

HOA trains – had quite a few

Grandfather clocks – fixed and sold

Coo-coo clocks – wind-up clocks

Loved old cars – looking at; not working on

Lift chairs – bought, fixed & sold for a while

Collected and used any 50’s memorabilia

Old cameras and film projectors

Loved taking pictures

Old theater popcorn machines

Traveling

St. Vincent de Paul food pantry – he was the ice cream tester

Who doesn’t have one of his waffle irons?

Beloved son of the late Edward and Joann (nee Unterreiner) Fromm, dearest brother of the late Marilyn (the late Francis), dear cousin of the late Arthur (survived by Pat), the late Harvey (the late Imo), Bill (Carol), the late Dave, Jerry (Barbara), Rita (the late Charlie), welcoming uncle to Lisa (Chas), the late Steve (survived by Kimberly), Brian (Elizabeth) and great-uncle to Nicole, Kimmy, Marni, and Ani. Dear friend, neighbor, volunteer, and thrift shopper for all of the above.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to St. Vincent de Paul, 2200 W. DeSoto St. Pensacola FL 32505 (Please put ‘Food Pantry’ in the memo line) or James River Greyhounds, 19220 Dawn Blvd.Hanover VA 23069, or a charity of your choice.

A Memorial Visitation will take place on Friday, February 27, from 9-10am at Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church, 6303 Nottingham Ave., St. Louis 63109. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10am. Interment to follow at Resurrection Cemetery.

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