Ronald Armand Maire

Ronald Armand Maire passed away peacefully on June 15, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona, at the age of 99. He was born on April 23, 1927, in Los Angeles, California, to Federico Maire and Vivian Dorothy Tierney, and grew up in Glendale, California.

A gifted athlete, Ronald attended Glendale High School, where he starred on the varsity football and track & field teams. He was an All-American record holder in the long jump, a testament to the speed and determination that would define him throughout his life.

At just 17 years old, with his father's permission, Ronald enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He began pilot training, but when Germany surrendered in May 1945, he was reassigned to a B-29 Superfortress bomber crew as a gunner, stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines — answering his country's call at an age when most boys were still finishing high school, and carrying that courage with him for the rest of his life.

Returning home from his military service, Ronald soon married his high school sweetheart, Joyce Elaine Hillman, on September 4, 1948. The newlyweds headed north together so Ronald could attend San Jose State on a track scholarship, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951.

Ronald went on to build a long career as an engineer, working for several large firms where he specialized in selling — and at times designing — control valves used in piping systems of every kind. His equipment found its way into an astonishing range of applications, from rocket ships and oil refineries to the pipelines that carried ice cream and beer. It was a career that quietly touched countless corners of American industry, and one he took great pride in.

On July 4, 1964, Ronald was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, alongside his wife, Joyce, and their two oldest children — a milestone that marked the beginning of a faith he carried with him for the rest of his life.

That same year, Ronald built a barn on the family's suburban property to house horses for his children to ride and care for, filling their home with the kind of hands-on, animal-loving upbringing he clearly delighted in giving them.

In 2014, Ronald was honored to join Honor Flight, accompanied by his son Mitchell, and traveled to Washington, D.C., where he visited the WWII Memorial as well as Fort McHenry in Baltimore. His love of country never wavered — for the past four and a half years at Acoya, he held a morning ritual of saluting the flag of the United States, honoring both the nation he served and the friends who never came home.

Ronald was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 68 years, Joyce Elaine Maire, in 2016. He is survived by his five children: daughter Melinda Joyce Sandberg (husband Jaren); son Wayne Harold Maire (wife Julie, née Jackson); daughter Susan Elizabeth Newman (husband Kenneth); son Mitchell Tierney Maire (wife Katherine, née Withsosky); and son Eric Ronald Maire (wife Cindy, née Wise). He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild — a legacy that spanned generations.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Life Style Center at Acoya, his former residence, located at 6502 E. Brown Rd, Mesa, AZ 85205.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Ronald's memory to Honor Flight (honorflight.org/donate), an organization close to his heart that helps veterans visit the memorials built in their honor.

Ronald will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.