Ronald Arthur Sarasin

The Honorable Ronald Arthur Sarasin, 88, a native of Beacon Falls, Connecticut, died peacefully at home on March 27, 2023, surrounded by family. Born on December 31, 1934, in Fall River, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Joseph A. and Mary D. (Pereira) Sarasin.

Mr. Sarasin is survived by his wife of nearly 35 years, Leslie Garmon Sarasin; two sons, Michael Arthur Sarasin (Renee) of Mystic, Connecticut, and Douglas Wilson Sarasin of Washington, D.C.; a brother, Warren Sarasin (Phyllis) of Rehoboth, Delaware; a sister, Lois Saltzman (Allen) of Lenoir City, Tennessee; two nephews, Mark Sarasin and Jeff Sarasin (Dale), both of Port St. Lucie, Florida; a niece, Kaitlin Saltzman of Lenoir City, Tennessee; and much loved cousins in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Mr. Sarasin attended Center School in Beacon Falls, Connecticut, and graduated from Naugatuck (Connecticut) High School in 1952. He served in the United States Navy from 1952 to 1956 and attained the rank of petty officer, second class. He earned his B.S. from the University of Connecticut in 1960 and J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1963. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar later that year and began his law career, serving as the town counsel for Beacon Falls, Connecticut from 1963 to 1972, and as assistant professor of law at New Haven College, New Haven, Connecticut from 1963 to 1966.

First elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1968, Mr. Sarasin became the assistant minority leader in 1970. In 1972, he was successful in his run for Congress from the 5th district against a seven-term veteran of the House and was re-elected in 1974 and 1976. He served as a delegate to the Connecticut State Republican conventions in 1968, 1970, 1972, and 1974, and to the Republican National Convention in 1976. In 1978, Mr. Sarasin secured the Republican nomination for Governor of Connecticut.

After leaving public service, Mr. Sarasin served as the chief lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association and as president and chief executive officer of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. He served as president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society from 2000 to 2019 and is credited with establishing a traveling exhibit on the role played by enslaved people in the building of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the initiation of the organization’s popular civics education program.

A long-time boating enthusiast, Mr. Sarasin served on the National Boating Safety Advisory Commission for several terms, and spent many joyous days on the Chesapeake Bay enjoying his trawler, the Blithe Spirit, with family and friends. In more recent years, his favorite days were spent at Lake of the Woods, Virginia, where he learned to water ski at age 80, and spent untold hours driving a ski boat while his son and his friends skied, wake-boarded and tubed.

A funeral service will be held at on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 11am at Gonzaga College High School’s St. Aloysius Church, 19 Eye Street, Washington, D.C. Arrangements are being handled by Joseph Gawler’s Sons Funeral Directors.

Expressions of sympathy may be made in Mr. Sarasin’s memory to Gonzaga College High School, Attn: D. Dugan, 19 Eye Street, Washington, D.C. 20001, or www.gonzaga.org, or to the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, 200 Maryland Ave. NW, Washington DC 20002, or https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/uschsronsarasin.