Ronald Wayne Carlsten Sr., age 79, went to join the Lord after a courageous 14-month battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He defied many odds with his lengthy remission but passed peacefully with his family by his side on Sunday, May 29, 2022. Ron was an avid golfer and hot rod and motorcycle enthusiast, and was active in both, even throughout his illness. He was a quiet, gentle and spiritual man, who loved and provided for his family and collected lifelong friends along the way.
Ron was born January 31, 1943, in Kingsport Tennessee. He grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, with his parents Roy and Viola and his identical twin brother Roy, who survives him. He graduated from Maine East High School in Park Ridge. After graduation, Ron and Roy attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb Illinois for a year, but Ron left to pursue electronics at DeVry Technical School in Chicago. After receiving an Associates Degree in Electronics, Ron was offered a job at Sandia Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico and moved there, where his son Ronald Jr was born. While in Albuquerque, Ron completed his BS degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of New Mexico.
Ron was offered a job at IBM Corporation in West Palm Beach Florida soon after that, and relocated there, where his daughter Katherine was born. While in Florida, his love of motorcycles led him to competitive dirt bike and enduro racing, where the family camped and he competed in the Florida Enduro circuit.
Ron, however, loved the mountains and the American west, and when IBM announced plans to open a facility in Tucson Arizona, he was “all in.” They moved again, and he continued with his motorcycle racing, and also moved into street motorcycles with his treasured BMW. He developed a great love for hot rods and classic automobiles, and along with his son Ron, became a skillful restorer and painter of many varied vehicles. Ron won many prestigious awards at shows throughout the southwest for his cars and motorcycles.
Ron also developed a genuine love for snow skiing after attending ski trips with his church group. Again he excelled and became a superior downhill skier, despite starting this new sport so late in life. He traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Canada, enjoying many ski trips with his wife Sally.
Ron was also an excellent waterskier, a talent he perfected while visiting Roy’s family, cousins and friends on the Fox River in Illinois. He and Roy first learned to ski while on vacation with their parents at a young age, and started a long tradition of summers visiting lakes and rivers, to ski and boat with the entire family.
Perhaps Ron’s earliest passion was golf, and he was a lifelong golfer. He and Roy caddied for their parents, and played golf from the age of 7. Ron was still working at golf only a few weeks ago, and although it was more difficult for him to play, he gave it his all. Many thanks to his golfing buddies Dan and Randy for all their help in this!
Ron is survived by his wife Sally Raduenzel, son Ronald (Traci Morris) Carlsten Jr. of Phoenix, daughter Kathy (Bones Weikert) Carlsten of Heber-Overgaard Arizona, and twin brother Roy (Janice) Carlsten of McHenry Illinois. Also surviving are his grandsons Matthew and Christopher Millican of Clearwater, Florida, nieces Julie (Jim) Schmidt, Leah (Scott) Baker and Kimberly (Ben) Brandt, all of Illinois, and many great nieces and nephews. Ron is preceded in death by his mother and father, Viola and Roy Carlsten Sr, and his wife Janet Homola Carlsten of Cary Illinois.
A celebration of life will be held at Unity of Tucson Church, 3617 N Camino Blanco, Tucson AZ on Saturday, July 9, 2022. Visitation at 10:30 a.m. followed by Celebration of Life and Reception. Classic cars are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Gospel Rescue Mission in Tucson or Peppi’s House Hospice.
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