Ronald Lewis Souza

This is the story of Ronald Lewis Souza, born May 14, 1944 in Visalia, California. Ron was the son of John Louis Souza and Mary Borba Souza. John was a dairyman, immigrating from Sao Jorge Island of the Azores and operating the Souza dairy farm in Farmersville, California. Ron loved growing up on the farm, rising in the early morning to milk the cows before school. Ron was a beekeeper and an insect collector, most intrigued by butterflies and moths. At a young age, Ron was featured in the local newspaper exhibiting his extensive butterfly collection. He also enjoyed falconry, capturing a kestrel and raising a young red-tailed hawk that had fallen out of its nest on the Souza farmstead. He was an explorer, a scientist, and a musician. Ron learned to play trombone and turned his love of music into a career.

Ron graduated from Mt. Whitney Highschool in Visalia, CA, receiving the first annual John Phillip Sousa Award for Excellence in Music. He furthered his education by attending California State University, Fresno, graduating with Bachelor’s degrees in both Music and Biology. He was a member of the Fresno State Marching band, and earned his teaching credentials in both majors, later becoming an elementary school music teacher for Clovis Unified School District where he taught for almost 30 years. In 1968, to avoid the draft, Ron joined the United States Army as an instructor in the Army Corps School of Music in Little Creek, VA. He completed basic training at the Fort Ord US Army Infantry Training Center and the US Army Bandsman Course, earning the National Defense Service Medal, Sharpshooter and Expert rifle commendations. His fondest memories of Virigina were his time spent in the ocean, scuba diving, underwater photography, and clamming. During Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign train tour through California’s central valley, Ron was offered the opportunity to play with the band, riding on the train caboose with Kennedy. Two days following the event, Kennedy was assassinated.

In 1975 while shopping in a Fresno Safeway market, Ron bumped shopping carts with Rebecca Ingram. It was a whirlwind engagement, with a Lake Tahoe wedding 6-months later on August 23, 1975. Ron and Becky had 2 children, Maryann Rebecca and Paul Lewis. He was a loving father and grandfather, always excited to share the smallest details of the world. Ron could play any movie or cartoon theme song on his trombone, including Star Wars, ET and the Smurfs. He appreciated life, and would never kill a spider, but would instead explain how each creature on this earth plays a role in life. Ron planted a large garden in the backyard, growing sunflowers, tomatoes, corn, and okra. Later, he turned the garden into a collection of beautiful cactus and agave. With his brother and son, they built and flew U-control model airplanes. He spent his mornings and weekends running and in 1981, completed the 5th Annual San Francisco Marathon in 4 hours 14 minutes and 21 seconds.

In addition to teaching full-time for Clovis Unified, Ron joined the Frank Wells Orchestra, an 11-piece group playing for tea dances at the Centre Plaza Holiday Inn. The Orchestra once shared the stage with Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, a memory Ron loved to tell others. In 1986, Ron took over the directorship of the orchestra, playing for local dances and events. When Barnum and Bailey’s Circus came to town, they would hire local musicians to provide music. Ron would play his trombone for every event. It was such a treat to see him in action, spreading his love of music. He was also a collector of fine watches, reading and studying the intricacies and mechanisms of each. He owned a library of books, reading the works of historians, philosophers, scientists, politicians and poets. Ron loved to cook, learning how to make Turkish coffee, baklava, Portuguese sopas, crème Brulé, and bouillabaisse. He also had a large of collection of fine wines, cognacs, and whiskey, occasionally enjoying a cigar or his Meerschaum pipe. Ron was a chocoholic and a lover of ice cream, often making homemade ice cream with an old-fashioned, wooden, hand crank machine.

Ronald peacefully left this world on November 22, 2023 in Clovis, CA. Ron is survived by his brother, Edward Souza; daughter, Maryann Souza; son, Paul Souza; and granddaughter Ava Garcia.

A memorial service will be held on December 18, 2023 at University Presbyterian Church at 1:00 pm, followed by a graveside service and reception.

Donations in Ron's memory can be made to Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation.