Beloved husband of 49 years to Rose Traven (nee May). Loving father of Peter (Johanna) Traven, of Pittsburgh, PA; Philip (Sarah) Traven, of Geneva, IL; and Allison (Ryan) Schultz, of Chicago, IL. Beloved “Papa” of Graham (10), Cooper (7), Sloan (3) Traven of Geneva; and Margot (2) Traven of Pittsburgh. Dear brother of Deborah (James) Rogan. Brother-in-law of Nancy May, Ann (Thomas) Lalor, Tony (Ann) May, Gordon May (Charlotte Hansen), and Mary (Jack) Leonard.
Preceded in death by his parents: Delores and Charles Traven; his sister: Meg (Jack) O’Keeffe; brother in-law: John May; sister-in-law: Susan (James) Cameron, and Barbara Hendricks.
Ronald Traven was born in Joliet, IL, on March 8, 1948, to Delores (Dede) and Charles (Chuck) Traven where he attended Joliet Catholic High School before graduating from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies before later earning a Masters in Education. Ron met Rose at Northern Illinois University before being wed in 1970 the same year he accepted his first teaching and coaching position at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights. Ron accepted a teaching position at Marengo Community High School (MCHS) in 1972 and relocated to Marengo where he would teach social studies for a total of 34 years at MCHS with many of those years as Social Studies Department Head. Ron coached a total of 69 teams over his 34 years at MCHS: Basketball (31 seasons coached at MCHS); Football (26 seasons); Softball (7 seasons as Varsity head coach); Baseball (5 seasons). Over the years Coach Traven simply became known as “Coach” to students, former students, friends and family. Career coaching highlights included: over 400 wins as freshman and sophomore head basketball coach; state runner up in football in 1992 and football 3A semi-finalists in 1996 and 1997; Varsity Softball Career Record of 148-75; 2-Time Northwest Herald Area Coach of Year (Softball); Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (2005 induction). Following retirement from MCHS he served as an assistant coach on the Prairie Ridge 2008 Class 4A State Championship Baseball team. Ron always lived life to its fullest and with a smile and remained extremely active in retirement by spending time with his family and grandchildren, substitute teaching, attending countless Bears and Cubs games, working his lifelong “dream retirement job” at Wrigley Field and traveling with Rose.
Visitation at Marengo-Union Funeral Home, 505 E. Grant Hwy., Marengo, IL on Sunday, November 17, 2019 from 4-8pm, where Funeral Prayers will begin on Monday, November 18, 2019 at 10:15am and proceed to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, for Mass at 11am.
Interment at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in Ron’s honor to Cycle for Survival
(please see link below) 100% of Cycle for Survival funds go directly to funding Memorial Sloan Kettering’s research of rare cancers.
Arrangements entrusted to Marengo-Union Funeral Home, for information call (815) 568-8131.
