Ronnie "Grampy" Thomas Stodghill

He was born on April 9, 1952, to Emma O'Steen Stodghill and R.F. Stodghill of Weirsdale, FL, the fifth of seven children. He graduated from Lake Weir High School in 1970.

On August 4, 1972, he married Terri Dale Johnston, the woman who would become his true companion for the remaining fifty-one years of his life. Together they founded Mid Florida Wheel and Axle Company and Florida Hitch, and he worked in axle recycling until his death. He traveled the highways of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana so frequently over the past forty years that his many business contacts became his loyal friends. His son Tommy will carry on the business in his father's place.

Ronnie's two great loves were his family and the natural world. He delighted in his two children and two children-in-love, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, and in his nieces and nephews. Every young person he knew believed that time spent with Uncle Ronnie was even better than a trip to DisneyWorld. The adventures he shared with his young relatives became the stuff of family legends, from house boating and getting stuck on a sandbar, to wild rides through orange groves in an ATV, to numerous ski trips, model rocket launches, beach houses, and western vacations. In recent years, Ronnie and Terri enjoyed traveling by RV, recently returning from a trip to New England and planning to "turn left" toward the western states in their next expedition.

Once a skilled hunter, in later years Ronnie became an avid wildlife photographer whose work was displayed in 1994 in a one man show at the Bainbridge College Library in Georgia. Nothing pleased Ronnie more than seeing wild animals in their natural habitats, from the water birds of central Florida to the buffalo of Montana.

A generous host of countless family celebrations, Ronnie's special delight was his annual Christmas light display at his farm, which over time grew into such a festive spectacle that he and Terri invited residents of Harbor House Assisted Living to view it each year, continuing the tradition even after the deaths of his late parents-in-law, Arthur and Iris Johnston, who lived at Harbor House from 2006-2014. Each year he was assisted by his children and grandchildren, dressed as elves, who distributed cookies to their guests.

Ronnie is survived by his beloved wife Terri, his daughter Jennifer (Luke) Gibbs, his son Tommy (Amy), and his grandchildren Savannah Masters, RRT (Navy HM2/E-5 at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton) and her husband Marc Masters (Navy HM3) of Oceanside, CA; Patrick Bond, RA, machinist mate third class on the USS John F Kennedy in Newport News, VA; Garrett (Taylor) Gibbs, Matalyn (Gabe) Gilligan RN, and Griffin Gibbs, all of Dunnellon, FL; Emily Stodghill and Brooke Stodghill, both students at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, FL; Bodhi Thomas Stodghill of Silver Springs, FL; and his great grandchildren John Tucker Gibbs and Corinne Gilligan.

A funeral service is planned for November 2 at 10 am at Forest Lawn Funeral Home.

The Stodghill family plans to establish a memorial scholarship fund for post-secondary vocational/ trade students. Details will be provided at a later date for those who would like to contribute.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestLawnOcala.com for the Stodghill family.