Ronald "Ronnie" Anthony Provera

Ronnie was born Ronald Anthony Provera on November 13, 1958 in Culver City, California to Madelyn and Ronald Provera. He was raised in Culver City with his family and many friends. Ronnie loved his time there playing in the sewer's with his friends, and his paper route, which he saved all of his money so he could buy a car. Ronnie really enjoyed having lived across the street from Sush Matsubara, some people may not know who Sush is, he was one of the pioneers of drag racing in Southern California. When you hear about drag racing you hear about Sush. Ronnie always thought that was great, and he loved going to Lion's Raceway to watch the race's. Ronnie moved to Orange County in his teens and this is where he finally purchased the car of car's for a guy it was a "69 Z28 Camaro" which he named Lucille. The story goes that Ronnie had almost all of the money, but just needed a little more so he called his mom and said "Ma I need some money, and she told him ok and how much, well it turned out to be the incredible amount of $13.00's" so with that his mom gave him the money and he had his car.

Ronnie had many great things about him that a lot of people didn't know. Ronnie was one of those people that didn't brag about the things he did and how well he did them. One of the things Ronnie did was Karate. Ronnie told me that one of his friends asked him to go to this Karate class with him, because he didn't want to go by himself, funny thing is the friend quit and Ronnie continued for 10 years, he won or placed in many competitions. Ronnie said he had finally had enough and left as a 5th degree Black Belt and he told me he could do all of those Kata things, that you had to do to really be good, he wouldn't say that, but Ronnie was really good.

By the time I met or talked to Ronnie he was working for his father and partners distribution company called Savon Foods. I worked for Target, and they were the company we would order all our food from weekly. The first time I heard his voice I knew there was something really special about this guy. I thought he was so special that I actually told some of the other food service managers at one of our meetings I was going to marry him someday, and they would laugh, and I would tell them laugh, but I will. Well one of these managers told this to Ronnie, but he never told me that he knew. After a few years Target decided to go with another company and needless to say I as well as the other managers where not happy. Once we changed I made sure to send Ronnie a Christmas card, and put my number inside the card. Lucky for me it was forwarded from Savon foods to Royal Angelus Macaroni, where he and his father were now working. Ronnie told me that his dad had to keep bugging him to open the card and he finally did and it was me, the food service manager for Target Escondido. Ronnie did call me and we talked for a while and I told him I was having shoulder surgery in a month, so he said call me when you have your surgery. I called and from that time on we spoke everyday for hours on the phone. Then Mother's Day of 1992 a beautiful arrangement of Roses came to the store and it was from Ronnie. My Ops Manager saw it and said that is it the store is slow you are going to meet him today. I called Ronnie and asked if I could drive up to Orange and meet, and he said yes. It was a little scary for both of us, but it all seemed to just fall in place, and I was lucky enough to marry Ronnie Jr. on August 7, 1993. Finally once we were married Ronnie told me that Teresa from Target 201 had called him at Savon and told him that Daniella the manager at the Escondido store said she was going to marry you someday. We still would talk about it sometimes..

I had already known that Ronnie was the most wonderful man in this world. He was gentle, kind, understanding, always listened and tried to do whatever he could to make things right. Ronnie had a voice that was beyond magic, it just made you want to fall into his words.

Ronnie really loved his Papa Wanuel and his Grandma Joy very much and he was very sad after they both were gone, so once day Ronnie asked my Grandma and Grandpa if he could call them Grandma and Grandpa and they were so happy and they told Ronnie that by you asking us, means you except us. That is just the love that everyone had for him that they were grateful to him and felt they were honored. My Grandpa, never liked anyone I dated, and was one of those tough old birds, but not when it came to Ronnie he loved Ronnie the day he met him, and they had a very special relationship. Ronnie would say that Grandpa is my best friend and Grandpa felt exactly the same. Grandpa would tell Ronnie that he was the son he always wished he could have. They would spend hours talking and to watch Ronnie listen so intently was amazing. He had such a thirst for knowledge that was incredible, and he remembered everything. I could ask him what a word meant and because of another mentor he had named Jim Bolton - Ronnie read the dictionary and he could just whip right out of his head. Ronnie also had this way of remembering the dates of anything that happened, and where he was when it happened. Ronnie was also really great at remembering stories. His mom said he was the story teller of the family, he would always remember every little detail, the date, the time, the year and he would make you laugh so hard the way he would tell the stories. I was happy to be the one to hear some stories that unfortunately he didn't want anyone else to know, so they will always stay close.

Ronnie never met anyone that didn't like him or love him. People say that no one is perfect, well they didn't know Ronnie. He was perfect and flawless in every way, not a mean bone in his body, or a bad word to say about anyone. He did have his opinions, but they were not thrown in your face like some people who feel they are the only person allowed to have an opinion.

The world has lost the most amazing person that has ever lived in this life time. There will never be another person like this again. When Ronnie came into this world the mold was truly broken. I don't think anyone that ever came to know Ronnie would say anything different. They say people like this come once in a life time. Well I believe that anyone that came before or will come after will never have the privilege of meeting anyone this wonderful again. He was the one and only - He is and will always be Ronnie Jr. the greatest gift to the world, and the most tragic loss to the world.