Ronald William Biden, age 92, passed on May 30, 2021. He was born in Mexico, Maine on September 25, 1928. His parents, George and Margaret Biden emigrated from Canada to work in the paper mill in Rumford, Maine.
Growing up, Ron worked on the family farm, driving when he was still a young boy and caring for the farm animals. He had fond memories of his youth and had many stories to share. One of the stories he told about farm life was how he spent a cold night sleeping with newly born chicks to keep them warm and alive. He loved Maine’s snowy winters, hunting, fishing and swimming in the river.
He graduated from Mexico High School and later worked in the local paper mill. He joined the U.S. Navy during WWII and traveled the Pacific Theater; he served on board ships that detonated mines. He was a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Ron met his loving wife of 67 years in Rumford and they married shortly after his military service. They moved to Oregon in 1950 for better job opportunities and lived the rest of their lives in Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Beaverton. Together they raised eight children.
He had a successful career with West Coast / General Telephone Company as the Station Manager for 15 years serving Washington, Clatsop and Columbia counties; he installed some of the first telephone communications in the rural areas. He then pursued a career change to insurance attending many hours of school to learn his new field and became the Vice President & Senior Marketing Director for Equitable Life Insurance Company.
During his retirement, he enjoyed his work as a bus driver for local schools, camps and churches. He loved working with the children and had the pleasure of lifelong friendships with many of them and their families. He drove transportation vehicles for the disabled and elderly. He was also a school bus driver instructor and examiner for the Oregon Department of Education, the Department of Motor Vehicles and local schools.
Ron was a firefighter volunteer and trainer with the Forest Grove Fire Department and served as an EMT volunteer for the Washington County Fire District at Midway fire station. His contribution made a significant difference in the welfare of the community.
Ron had a full life with many fond memories from an array of experiences, jobs and adventures. He highly valued his family and friends who will remember him for his kindness, generosity, integrity and resourcefulness. There was not much he could not do and generously used his skills to help others. He loved family picnics, holidays, snow skiing, dogs, traveling and history. He especially loved driving and took many trips around the United States. He had a great love of his birth state Maine and visited family and friends as often as he could. He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his seven children, Paula, David, Susan, Joanne, Ann, Karoline and Angela; sixteen grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette and daughter, Mary.
Funeral services will be held at Finley-Sunset Hills in Portland, Oregon on June 23, 2021 at 11:00 am. Ron will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife Jeanette at Willamette National Cemetery on June 24, 2021.
In lieu of flowers and expressions of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans, www.dav.org
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