Ronald James Bushwell

He was born August 26, 1933 in Jersey City and was one of three children: older sister, Joan, and twin sister, Constance (“Connie”). As a child, Ron was an avid sports fan, and enjoyed the great pleasure of Sunday afternoon doubleheaders at Yankee Stadium with his father. Early on, he also developed a sincere love for basketball. He spent many childhood summers in East Orange and Elizabeth with his friends, where he dominated the basketball courts in his beloved game. Little did he know back then that basketball would be such an enduring theme throughout his life.

Ron attended Our Lady of the Valley High School in Orange, where his passion for basketball continued. As Captain, he led the team to victory in the Catholic School Championship. After graduating from the Valley at a young age, he attended Carteret Prep School before college, where he again led his school basketball team to the league championship.

Ron spent one semester at St. John’s University in NYC before enrolling at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. Ron’s successes at UConn were plentiful; from receiving his bachelor’s degree in Insurance, to leading the Huskies to multiple basketball wins, to the lifelong enduring friendships he made. Ron was a tried and true, blue-bleeding Husky, and always spoke fondly of his times spent in Storrs. Most of Ron’s cherished memories from this time of his life center around basketball. As Captain, Ron led the team to the Yankee Conference Championship and earned All-Conference Recognition, the highest recognition of individual athletic accomplishment. His memorable last two games go down in the UConn basketball history books – played in the old Madison Square Garden building in NYC, Ron singlehandedly scored 24 points against Manhattan in the semifinals, and 26 points against St. Louis in the finals.

During his freshman year at UConn, Ron also met the love of his life, Rosemary (“Rose”) Gaffney. Rose was a senior in high school at the time, and often took the train up to Connecticut from her home in New Jersey to watch Ron play in his games. Ron graduated from UConn in May of 1956, and by June of that same year they were happily married.

After the wedding, Ron joined the United States Marine Corps, where he quickly moved up the ranks to Captain, a title he was used to wearing from his basketball days. It was in the Marines where he developed his deep love of country, as well as the devotion, discipline, and passion for helping other people that he embodied in everything he did. After release from the Marines, Ron decided to follow his passion for helping others – using his knowledge from his UConn Insurance degree, he marched into the manager’s office at Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance in East Orange and said: “I am here to begin selling Life Insurance!” The manager, impressed with his confidence and enthusiasm, gave him an opportunity at the firm. As with everything in Ron’s life, he took that opportunity and ran with it, creating a successful career in the Life Insurance industry to help others during their most difficult times.

Ron continued selling Life Insurance for over 60 years. In all that time, Ron became an industry icon and has received some of the highest levels of recognition in the industry: He was a member of the prestigious Top of the Table of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), an achievement reserved for less than 1/10th of the top 1% of all insurance advisers worldwide; he was a perennial top 10 sales leader for Phoenix Mutual, and was twice the top sales leader nationwide; he was one of the founding members of the New Jersey Square Table; he was a nationally recognized speaker on how to build lasting relationships, using his unique easel technique; he served on numerous advisory boards; and many others. Such awards were secondary to him though. When asked what his greatest accomplishment in his business life was, his only response was “It’s about relationships and being able to help people…that’s what it is all about.” Ron developed and sustained countless relationships throughout his decades in the field and served as a mentor to hundreds of advisers worldwide, including some of his own children and grandchildren. He was a true giver of his time.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Ron was extremely proud to be involved in his community. He was a coach for the Livingston American Little League; he coached for various youth basketball organizations; he served as the Governor of the New Jersey Lion’s Club; he was president of the Circus Saints and Sinners; he served on the board of Renew International; he served as the Finance Chairman for St. Raphael’s parish; he taught CCD at his beloved St. Philomena’s Church; he chaired a program called Soles for Souls, where he collected over 30,000 pairs of shoes for the needy; just to name a few.

Ron was also a dedicated family man and said himself that his greatest accomplishment in life was “the responsibility of being a father and the pure joy and pleasure of being blessed by God. For the opportunity to love and be loved.” Ron fostered a large family of 6 children, 14 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, all who live in the sunshine of Captain Ron’s love for them. The family cherishes the times all spent together, especially down the shore at the house in Normandy.

Ron will always be remembered for his selfless ways and his positive outlook on life. He was always searching for a way he could help out, but did not ask anything in return – his most used phrase was “What can I do for you?”; if you commented on his tie, he would take it off his neck and give it to you; if you asked for two minutes of his time, you got two hours; if you needed advice or help with an issue, he would listen intently without judgment and help get to a solution. He was a man of God and truly lived a life in His image.

Ron is predeceased by his loving parents, Vincent and Gertrude Bushwell, and his sister Joan Trump. Surviving to cherish his memory are his wife, Rosemary Gaffney Bushwell; six children: Linda Engelberger and her husband Fred; Michael Bushwell; Gregory Bushwell; Kathleen Bushwell Fordyce; Brian Bushwell and his wife Joy; and Mary Kay Bushwell; his 14 grandchildren: Bradford, Brandie, Devon, & CJ Engelberger; Kaelah, Tucker, & Kooper Fordyce; Griffin, Hunter, & Logan Bushwell; Austin & Erica Bushwell; Jaclyn & Ashley Williamson; and his two great-grandchildren Brody & Emerson Engelberger. Ron also leaves behind his twin sister, Constance Emery, who resides in Union.

To carry on his legacy of helping others, in lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Ron’s memory to the Shriners Hospital for Children, at the link below, or to another charitable organization of your choice.

Donate to Shriners Hospitals for Children® (lovetotherescue.org)

Please keep the Bushwell family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Following are the arrangements:

Visitation:

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

3:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home

145 E Mt. Pleasant Avenue

Livingston, NJ 07039

www.quinnhoppingfuneral.com

Funeral Service:

Thursday, January 13, 2022

10:00 AM

St. Philomena Church

386 South Livingston Ave

Livingston, NJ 07039.

Live streaming of Ronald's Mass can be accessed on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. from the following website:

https://boxcast.tv/view/funeral-mass-for-ronald-james-bushwell-sytql5byj5xg5cg04u7n