Ronald Wayne Dunaway

Baltimore, Maryland was his home throughout his childhood and teen years. It was a simple life; he and his younger brother and sister, the neighborhood kids, and the mischief they created.

His first job was selling Snow Cones at age 14. His first love was Jesus. He was tall and lanky. He was never musically inclined but in the 5 th grade he briefly attempted to learn the violin so that he could sit next to a pretty girl who also played in the school band. He enjoyed basketball and anything outdoors. He was adventurous and kind-hearted.

Soon after graduating Dundalk High School, he decided he needed to see the world. His sense of adventure and his love of God’s beautiful creation drew him to the Southwest. The wide-open spaces, the cactus and creosote, the desert sunsets, and a beautiful, red-headed girl captured his heart. So, he made Phoenix, Arizona his home.

Ron and Billie Jean Hoppes married on November 17, 1967. Jesus and God’s Word guided their hearts and home as they built a family of two daughters and a son. They settled into a little neighborhood church, now known as North Mountain Church. There they found life-long friends.

Ron faithfully served the church leading as a Deacon and Awana Commander, ministering to the widows, and helping to maintain the grounds and buildings. Ron also enjoyed serving his community. He worked to establish a neighborhood watch, a community park and plant trees. In his younger years, Ron worked as a warehouse foreman for A.J. Bayless. In later years, Ron worked as a lead custodian in an elementary school in the Paradise Valley School District. In his retirement, Ron spent his time with his family, instilling in the hearts of his seven grandchildren his love of God, The Bible, and God’s creation. Exploring desert trails, gardening, tending his roses, telling outlandish stories, and coming up with silly games to play with the grandkids were some of his favorite pastimes.

In everything he did, Ron was loyal, reliable, energetic, generous, honest, and humble. His character matched his stature: head and shoulders above the rest of us. His heart held a fierce love for Jesus, his family and those he called friends.

How do you adequately sum up the life and character of a man, like our Dad?

Maybe, it’s as simple as: he walked humbly with Jesus and led others to do the same.

As Ron awaits our reunion in heaven, he leaves behind his wife Billie Jean, his children Elaine, Virginia, and John, their spouses Jim, Jim, and Cheryl, his grandchildren Sarah, Emily, Patrick, David, Benjamin, Amanda, and Nathan, and his two great grandchildren, as well as his brother Stuart and his sister Joyce, and their families.

You are loved and deeply missed.

John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die.