Ronald Lee Hannon

Ronnie was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 24, 1945. He is predeceased by his mother, Annie O. Ritter Hannon, father, Dewey W. Hannon, step-mother, Mildred Hannon, his mother-in-law, Inez L. Cornelius, father-in-law, Richard James Cornelius, grandfather Jack Ritter, step-son Dean Rawls, grandmother, Agnes Estelle Cheshire Ritter, uncle, James F. Ritter, aunt, Helen Ritter, brother-in-law, John P. Russom III, great nephew, Sean R. Russom II, and numerous aunts, uncles and other family members.

Ronnie is survived by his loving and caring wife and the love of his life, Helen S. Cornelius Fowler-Hannon, son Stacy Hannon and partner, Lexy, step-sons Bryan R. Fowler and wife, Susan, Bryce R. Fowler and wife Linsay, daughter Cory (Becky) Dooley, grandson Tommy Stone Fowler, granddaughters Emma Dedon, Sadie Dedon, Ciara Blackburn, Skyler Fowler, Katie Fowler, Van Rawls Meiners and Montana Hannon, sister-in-law Hattie Russom (who he affectionately referred to as his second wife), brother-in-law Billy Wayne Scroggins and wife, Kerrie, nephews Sean R. Russom and wife, Ingrid, Bryan Murrell and wife, Kate, and Wayne Scroggins, nieces Ginger R. Smith and husband, Aaron, and Samantha S. DeBardelaben and husband, Josh, and Vanessa Alvarez, great nephews, Cohen DeBardelaben, Ryker Murrell, Jason Baldwin, great nieces Hayzel (Hayzie) and Hayven Smith, Isabelle Murrell, and Remi DeBardelaben, his Uncle Frank Ritter and wife, Diane, and special cousins Martha Cheshire Melton, Debbie Boswell, Darren Melton, Don Cornelius, Martha Cornelius, nephew Fabiel Alvarez and wife Theresa and great niece Isabelle and numerous other cousins and family members.

Ronnie graduated from Sam Houston High School in 1963 and joined the United States Army where he honorably served for 23 years, retiring as a Master Sergeant. He furthered his education by attending The U. S. Army Transportation School and Houston Community College earning an Associate’s Degree. Ronnie spent two tours in Vietnam in the 254th Medical Detachment (H.A.) APO 96491 44 Medical Brigade as Crew Chief on DUST-OFF (Medical Evacuation Helicopters) transporting wounded and deceased soldiers from areas of conflict to evacuating Hospitals and First Aid Clearing Stations. While in flight, he administered first aid to soldiers with wounds and lost limbs. After his tours in Vietnam, he was stationed in Germany twice for a total of four years, Korea, and various other places in the United States. After honorably retiring from the Army, he worked for Stuart and Stevenson for 10 years designing and building military trucks. He also worked as a mechanic and service writer for Chuck Davis Chevrolet, and afterwards, worked as a foreman laying fiber optics for numerous school districts and also as a counselor for the State of Texas Veterans Commission.

Visitation will be held Monday, December 1, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. All services will take place at Brookside Funeral Home, 13747 Eastex Freeway (off U. S. Hwy. 69), Houston, Texas 77039. Interment will follow immediately after the funeral service in Brookside Memorial Park.

Pallbearers: Stacy Hannon, Bryan Fowler, Bryce Fowler, Sean Russom, Don Cornelius, Aaron Smith

Honorary Pallbearers: Tommy Stone Fowler and Brent Swearengin

Ronald “Ron” Hannon — Soldier, Medevac Crew Chief, and Army Master Sergeant has taken his final flight. And as I write this, not as a distant acquaintance but as the man who sat beside him on mission after mission, I feel the weight of a loss that goes beyond words.

Ron and I flew hundreds of missions together. Day and night. Dawn and darkness. Under blazing sun and in monsoon rain so heavy it felt like flying through a waterfall. We flew through clear skies, and we flew when the clouds pressed down so low they swallowed the rotors. We flew above tall trees that scraped our skids and into landing zones so small you couldn’t breathe inside them.

We landed in quiet LZs after battles ended… and in hostile hot ones where the enemy was waiting for us — determined to shoot down our helicopter and kill all of us. Every time we came in low, we knew the truth: this could be our last mission.

But Ron never hesitated. He never froze. He never panicked — even when panic would have been the most human response. There were American Soldiers wounded and dying, Ron Hannon stepped up by flying over 600 missions and saving over 1000 Soldiers.

He sat there with that steady, iron calm that saved not just the wounded men on the ground, but me and the rest of the crew. In the middle of chaos, he was an anchor. The quiet warrior. The man you wanted beside you when the world was exploding.

Some days, we picked up a single wounded Soldier. Other days, we packed twelve or more into a space never meant for that many broken bodies. It didn’t matter. Ron helped every one of them like they were his own brother.

And that’s what we were — all of us — brothers. Dave Bohl, Ron Hannon and Karl Danckwerth, a. band of Brothers! Our mission was simple:

Get them out. Get them home. Give them another day.

Every landing — tall trees or flat rice paddies, hot LZ or calm — carried the same truth: this is life or death, and someone is counting on us.

Ron lived that truth with courage few, will ever understand. He saved hundreds of lives that never met him. He gave families years they would never have had. Somewhere in this country, thousands of people are alive because Ron kept his hands steady when the rest of the world was on fire.

His service didn’t end in a helicopter. He served over 23 years in the Army, carried that humility, that quiet strength, and that devotion to others throughout his life. He was a loyal friend, a loving family man, and the kind of soul who made you feel safer just by standing next to him.

Now he takes his final flight — not into danger, but into peace. No more monsoons. No more hot LZs. No more calls in the night.

A warrior returning home.

Ron, my brother — thank you for every mission, every moment, every time you refused to panic when the world gave us every reason to. I will carry your memory for the rest of my life.

Your watch is over. Dave Bohl and I continue — for all of us who served in the 254th Medevac, Vietnam.

Rest easy, Ron. You saved others. Today, we honor you. Written by: Karl Danckwerth