Ron was always athletic. He started playing hockey at age five and continued throughout his life on any team or club he could find. Ron was especially proud of playing hockey at Eastern Michigan University. Later, he coached local hockey teams, continuing the tradition of his father. He also played rugby, soccer, baseball and any other sport that kept score. He was a competitive man and lived to win. He played softball his entire adult life until the very end.
Ron had a lifelong passion for golf. He played well-known courses all over the world, among them were St. Andrew’s in Scotland, Royal County Down and Royal Port Rush in Ireland, The White Witch in Jamaica, Harbor Town in Hilton Head and the Buick Open Pro-Am at Warwick Hills.
In 1996, he met the love of his life, Carole at the Post Bar in Detroit. From then on, he took her on the adventure of a lifetime. They married in 1999 and had their first home in Berkley then Livonia and on to Schoolcraft, Michigan and finally Shanghai, China.
Ron’s employment was with American Axle and Manufacturing, where he worked as a Senior Manager Quality Systems, Asia. His work took him to Mexico, Scotland, Korea, South Africa and Thailand. Ron embraced the expatriate lifestyle in China and made strong connections everywhere he went. Ron was very excited that he would be going to Russia for his next project.
Recently, Ron attained his Irish citizenship which was important to him because his grandfather was born in Ireland and it was a cool story. He was also in the process of finishing his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources and Business Management and was very proud of his good grades.
Everywhere he went, Ron made an impact, leaving “Ron Stories” behind. In a room of three people, he could make five friends. He made everyone he encountered feel important. Ron was always there first for any life event, from the birth of his nieces and nephews to putting a roof on Greg’s first home.
He is survived by his loving wife Carole, mother Gail and his siblings Mike (Kathy) Boal, Lori (Kevin) Piggott and Greg (Carole Anne) Boal. He is the son-in-law of Gene and Ruth Conley and the brother-in-law of Deb (Dan) Burkhard and Tracy Conley. Ron will be deeply missed by his beloved nieces and nephews Thomas, Leah, Jessica, Michael, Nic, Jamie, Jay, Maddie and Matthew as well as his great niece Michaela.
He leaves behind his beloved “girls”, his two Yorkies Charlotte and Isabelle.
Friends may visit Ron’s family during a memorial visitation in his honor on Friday November 2, 2012 from 2 pm until 8 pm at the Harry J. Will Funeral Home, located at 37000 W. Six Mile in Livonia, Michigan 48152. His memorial service will be Saturday November 3, 2012 at 11 am at the funeral home. Harry J. Will is located on the north side of W. Six Mile, east of I-275 and Newburgh Road.
His family kindly asks that memorials be made in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the Ron Boal Memorial Fund, which will benefit the ball fields and ice rinks he grew up with in Redford Township.
Greater Redford Community Foundation
P.O. Box 401101
Redford, MI 48240-1101
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