Ronald William Carey

The life of Mr. Ronald W. Carey who was born September 14, 1932, in Astoria, Oregon, to Hugh Carey and Ila Junnikkala Carey. My family and I, Jackie Gilbert, have been honored to get to know and learn to love this special man for the past 5 years. He has changed our lives.

His father left for the war when Ron was very young and he never knew what happened to him. His mother had cancer and passed away while he was still in elementary school. He went to live with an uncle and his wife. These years were very dark years for Ron because of the abuse he endured. At some point he was sent to live in a boarding house in Astoria with his grandfather. Not the best life for a young man, but no abuse. He told us that he ran around with the older boys in town, late into the night, looking for cans to sell for a penny, and probably getting into a little trouble! At some point he was sent to live with a foster family, Jack and Martha Koski, who loved him, making it a more stable time of his life. They lived outside of town, close to the Columbia River where he spent many hours alone daydreaming of someday being a soldier. He would tell us of his adventures walking to and from school, through the fields, coming home and doing his chores. He had his own little garden (the beginning of his green thumb) and chickens to feed. In his free time, he would climb up the mountain outside their house and cut down trees for firewood. At times he would take the tractor (which was off limits for him) to pull them down the hill, but he always put it back exactly the way he found it and his dad never knew it was gone. Until something happened! I don't remember what that was, but when dad found out he was grounded, but they worked it out and he never had that problem again!

His Jr. High and High School years were spent with the older boys, first selling bottles and metal making money for movies or to buy whatever. He saved some of the money and was able to get a car. That was quite an experience for him and others! He told us the story, many times, of how he and another boy were racing and all of a sudden there was a tree in front of him but ‘Someone’ took the steering wheel, otherwise the car would have been done for and possibly himself, too! He said God was taking care of him! He enjoyed his cars and kept very good care of them. We enjoyed listening to his stories and he loved telling them! Summers he worked for the logging company, where his foster dad worked, loading logs onto the big ships to be made into lumber. After graduating he enlisted in the US Army on December 11, 1952. He was sent to Ft. Hood for basic training, to begin his career in the US Army. His first assignment was Japan.

While still in the US, he received a call that his foster mother, Martha, was dying. He jumped on the train to get back to Oregon before she died but was too late. It was a hard and sad time for him. He stayed for the funeral and burial and then went back to his duties. Years later he and his wife, Mitsue went back to Astoria and gave all his family members a ‘proper’ resting place by replacing the old dilapidated stones with nice, beautiful concrete ones, and a little fence around them. This was very important to him.

While stationed in Japan, he and a buddy had a couple quarters to spend and went to a movie. As they were leaving the movie theater, a lady from the army dancehall called out to the two men and said they needed someone to come dance with some of the women. It seemed that Ron was a little shy but he saw this beautiful Japanese girl named Mitsue Watanabe standing along the wall. They danced and that was the start of the beginning of a new life for both of them! They talked for quite a while and then he walked her home. The story goes from there of how every chance he had he would jump on the train and meet her at her house where she lived with her mother and older sister. Early the next morning he would jump on the train and arrive just in time to begin work.

He was a God-send to Mitsue’s mother and sister as they needed someone to help with duties around the house. He spent as much time in Tokyo as possible. One of the first things he did was to get some water to the house and build as much of a bathroom as possible because he was not going to keep using the ‘hole’ as a toilet. He helped plant roses and other flowers outside the house, bought necessary items that were needed for Mama to cook, and did the ‘man things’ around the house. He began to learn Japanese culture and try to learn the Japanese language. They spent time together getting to know each other until his first tour in the Army had ended. He tells of when he was on the ship to go back to the US, she was on the deck below waving and he said to himself, "I am going to come back and marry that girl someday". When returning to Astoria, there were no familiar faces and the town was pretty dead because of the to become Catholic, and he decided he needed towar. He re-enlisted and asked to go to Japan, however he was sent to Korea instead. But before leaving he bought her a beautiful wedding dress and a ‘fake fur coat’!

When returning to Japan he found out that she was taking lessons become Catholic in order to marry her. So, he took lessons and was baptized. I asked him a few months before he passed away, why she became Catholic. He said, “She knew I was an American so I must be a Catholic” so he did! Whether that is true or not I do not know, but another “God thing’ and they were married November 6, 1958, surrounded by relatives and friends of Mitsue.

Mitsue followed Ron when possible, finding odd jobs, keeping busy and bringing in a little money. She was very gifted in Japanese arts, such as doll making, sand painting, and needle work. However knowing the military, you are moved here and there, so every chance he had he would get on a train and go visit her. They spent every available day traveling around various countries of Europe and especially Japan. We soon found out that this was only to be the beginning of their love of traveling! Not only to the Rocky Mountains did they travel but throughout the US and Europe. By the way, they also loved to SHOP for any and everything!

In the Army he was Stock Control Supervisor. He kept a careful eye on everything that entered the supply warehouse. This must have been truly a gift he had, because as we helped him downsize his home, we found sheets and sheets of every penny he and Mitsue spent! He took his position as Stock Clerk very seriously and was commended for doing so.

Ron was not a big guy, but very strong. He would tell us of the big loads of uniforms, etc. that he had to carry up and down the steps for storage. Due to the wear and tear on his back from the heavy loads, he fell and hurt himself several times, but got up and kept going.

He enjoyed his spare time talking and partying with his fellow service men and would tell us many stories of ‘Charlie’ coming over the fence drinking and smoking with them.

He racked up quite a few awards, including the Good Conduct Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Korean, United Nations, and Vietnam Service Medals, National Service Medal, plus more including Bronze Star Medal. Private Carey gradually earned the rank of Master Sergeant.

As he was just entering his 19th year of service in Vietnam with the US Army, he was pushed off the dock by a forklift and injured himself so badly that he had to be transported back to Colorado to Fitzsimmons Medical Center. He was paralyzed from his waist on down. There he stayed for a year until he could walk out of the hospital with only shoe braces and a cane, after 20 years of service in the US Army retiring as MSG and Honorable Discharge. He knew he had to take care of his dear Mitsue and told himself he would not be in a wheelchair!

This is where we, the Borer and Gilbert families, come into the story. Ron and Mitsue bought the handicapped accessible house at 385 Joliet St. in 1972. Jackie’s family bought the house on the south side in 1980 and Jeff bought the house on the north in 1981. Jackie’s husband (Ron Borer) died in April 1985 and she (and her 4 boys) married Jeff in 1987.

We knew that the Carey’s had no children and my boys would get a little careless at times, and the balls accidently (?) went over the 6 ft wooden fence and often never returned. We saw them as ‘loners’, not friendly at all. So, sadly, we did not attempt to make the friendship happen, unless there was a need such as snow removal or a trip to the hospital, etc. and they needed to be checked on.

We see now how we have been blessed to enjoy their company, especially after the death of his dear wife, Mitsue on January 21, 2021. The next 5 years have been a blessing to us in many ways, just sitting in the beautiful backyard learning about roses, gardening, birds, squirrels, the war, Japan, and not worrying about time but just enjoying the same stories over and over!

As we look back on the past years, we know we could have been friendlier and made them a part of our family. We are so happy that these past 6 years have shown us how to give and receive love and we are so thankful that God has put us in their lives being able to enjoy these past 5 years of Ron’s company and love.

+Rest in Peace, Mr. Ronald Carey+