Ronald Eugene Jostol

Ron Jostol was a son of Seattle. He was born here and 89 years later he died here on December 29, 2021. He overcame a difficult beginning to live an inspiring life of resourcefulness, integrity and loyalty.

We miss him terribly.

His father was Ole Jostol, a halibut fisherman in the Bering Sea, gone from home 9 months of the year. His mother, Agnes, was a homemaker when that included milking the cow and killing a chicken for Sunday dinner.

Ron had rheumatic fever as a child and missed the first grade. His legs were so swollen that the bottoms of his feet were rounded and he couldn't walk. He remembered his mother carrying him outside and sitting him in the sun. Ultimately she could not cope and he was sent to the Ryther Home where he repeated the first grade at Interlake Elementary.

Ron returned home but his challenges were not over. He later took a gun to school and was sent to the Luther Burbank School for Boys where he remembered the staff carried two by two's for discipline. Ron was nine years old.

He returned home after a year at Burbank, the family moved and he attended Broadview Elementary. This is where his life began to turn and he made several lifelong friends: John Haug, Goldie Matlock and Bud Hosfelt. Ron joined the Boy Scouts, had a paper route, worked at a crumpet bakery and was invited to parties. "Life began to be good".

He taught himself to dance by playing records and practicing. As his wife Jackie would later say, " he was a marshmallow on his feet"

A proud Lincoln Lynx, Class of '51, Ron joined the Navy after high school, became an aircraft mechanic, was blown off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier and met the love of his life. Jackie (aka Baby Dumpling) and Ron were married for 66 years and he adored her to the very end. His last evening as she was tucking him in, he told her “Yabba dabba do, I love you”.

Ron founded Mechanical Sales Inc. in 1971, was later joined by his sons, and grew the business to four offices across the Pacific Northwest. Ron was very successful and became an icon in the industry, known throughout the Country for his technical knowledge and fair dealing. He worked full time until he was 84, but it was never really work, it was his passion. Ron was immensely proud of the people who work at MSI and our Company and relished seeing it's 50th Anniversary.

Ron loved hot dogs, fast cars and telling stories. His genius was his resourcefulness and playing what life laid out in front of him. He didn't just touch people's lives, he had a profound effect upon them. If a friend died, he became a second father to their children. As his friend Tor said, Ron was a true Viking. He was such a special man.

Ron left us suddenly and was fully himself up until the very end. There will be a memorial service when we can safely gather where we can tell stories and enjoy our great memories. Dad loved a good story and he will be there with us.

Ron is survived by his loving wife Jackie, his sons Chris (Ann Marie) and Barry (Nickie), and his grandchildren Grant (Andrea), Edyth (Adrian) and Madison (Garen).

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the following:

https://www.stjude.org/

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

If you see a young person uncertain or struggling, think of Ron and lend a hand, an ear, a piece of your heart.