Ron Cayler

Mr. Ronald “Ron” Cayler, son of the late Frank and Viola Cayler, was born on September 7, 1940 in West Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Valley High School, class of 1958, where he was a member of a Drake Relays championship relay team and discovered his love of the saxophone. Ron went on to attend Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, where he continued his study of music.

Ron met Nancy Nesselroad at a square dance in Booneville, Iowa in the summer of 1958, and they married in April of 1960. As their family grew, Ron was a foreman at Delavan Manufacturing, a SnapOn Tools dealer and finished his full-time career at Townsend Industries. Throughout those years, he spent many evenings and weekends playing saxophone and clarinet with The Hi-Fi’s dance band at venues throughout Iowa. In his “retirement” years, he took great pride in “mowin’ the rough,” as he would affectionately say, at Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines.

Ron put his wife and family first throughout his life. After raising three children, he and Nancy enjoyed spending their time traveling internationally as well as frequently visiting their children and grandchildren in Texas and Virginia. Ron and Nancy also loved spending time outdoors canoeing, hiking and riding bicycles. Ron was a lifelong avid hunter and embraced the camaraderie that was built amongst his many hunting buddies. His sense of humor, endearing personality and positive outlook on life was evident to all who met Ron, even to those who knew him briefly.

Maple Grove United Methodist Church was Ron and Nancy’s church home, where they raised their family, helped care for the church lawn and he could be found selling sweet corn every summer.

Ron is survived by his beloved wife Nancy, their three children Jody Vidrine (Jim), Scott Cayler (Susie) and Carmen Smith (Tim), and grandchildren Devin, Lauren, Chelsea, Logan, Gavin, Catie, Brooke and Jessica.

Ron is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Beverly Cayler and Ruth Way.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska and Kavanagh House in Des Moines for their limitless compassion and dedication shown to not only Ron, but the entire family.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines at 10 a.m. with burial at Resthaven Cemetery. A visitation with the family will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at McLaren’s Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Maple Grove United Methodist Church Building Fund at P.O. Box 845, Waukee, IA 50263 or www.maplegroveumciowa.org.