Ronald Newton Schlein

Born and raised in New Haven, CT, Ron lived in New York City and Merrick, NY before settling in Livingston, NJ in 1976. He attended the University of Connecticut, where he was in the ROTC.

Ron was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Audrey Schlein (née Audrey Simkin), who passed in 2011. He is survived by his two sons, Jonathan Schlein and Daniel Schlein; his daughter-in-law, Alison Schlein; and his beloved grandchildren, Abigail Schlein and Melissa Schlein. He will also be remembered by his extended family and by all who knew and loved him.

Ron graduated from the University of Connecticut and served in the U.S. Army in southern Germany, where he was part of the post-war American occupation force. He subsequently earned an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and joined Nabisco, where he rose through the ranks to become Brand Manager of many iconic products, including Oreos, Chips Ahoy! and Fig Newtons.

Ron had a passionate interest in the outdoors and in wildlife, which he conveyed to his wife and children. He delighted in camping and taking his sons on rock and fossil hunting expeditions across the eastern United States. In his retirement, Ron traveled the world with EarthWatch, an international nonprofit organization, helping scientists study ants in the rainforests of Costa Rica, Mayan sea traders in Belize, mongoose populations in the Caribbean and endangered birds in Hawaii. In his retirement, Ron also served as a docent at the Turtleback Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey.

A good history book and an engaging nature documentary were just a few of the things Ron enjoyed. To everyone who knew him, Ron was a great guy who never took life too seriously, made his friends laugh and loved his family. He will be missed.

Those attending the service are invited to join with the family following the service at Bacari Grill, 800 Ridgewood Road, Township of Washington, NJ 07676. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] or [email protected]

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Earthwatch or other environmental or a wildlife conservation organization.