Ronald Allen Swartzlander, 77, of Chicora, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 23, 2022, in the home he built.
Ronald was born in Butler on May 5, 1945. He was the son of the late Howard "Skip" and Dorothy Andre Swartzlander.
Upon graduating from Fairview Twp. Karns City High School in 1963, he joined the Navy to serve as an aircraft mechanic for A-1 Skyraiders, traveling the Pacific during the Vietnam War on the carriers USS Ticonderoga and USS Bonhomme Richard (1963 to 1968). During his service, he met his longtime friend, Andy Kolesar, who preceded him in death 4 days prior.
During Navy leave on September 8, 1967, he married Lana Jackson at the Karns City United Methodist Church, and together they raised three children and hundreds of meat rabbits. When his kids were growing up, Ron enjoyed taking his family on many mini-vacations to Carlisle swap meets, car shows, and junkyards in search of illusive parts for a 1959 Dodge Custom Royale Convertible - just like the one he had before he left for service.
He was employed by ARMCO/AK Steele in Butler for 30 years and worked in the silicone maintenance department. Upon retirement, he finally had time to pursue the restoration of the 1959 Dodge he hauled home from Montana in 1981 (complete with volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens). The restoration was the perfect project to justify an addition to the garage, expanding it to twice the square footage of his home. In lieu of flowers, the family will accept donations towards the Dodge restoration.
Never one to call a serviceman or general contractor, Ron was a jack-of-all-trades who fixed and crafted many things by himself. If ever there was penny to be saved, Ron would find a way. He enjoyed gardening and hunting and took great pride in maintaining his yard like a golf course. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (Christopher Gist Chapter).
Ron is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lana; their three children, Stacy Stoughton and her husband, Lewis, Dawn Crawford and her husband, Scott, both of Chicora, and Mark Swartzlander (companion Beth Cannuli and her son Michael) of Karns City; six grandchildren, Stephanie Stoughton Zuroski and her husband, Nathan of Kane, Tom Stoughton of Chicora, Clara Stoughton of Philadelphia, Nathan Barnhart of Chicora, Neal Barnhart and his wife, Abby, of Savannah, GA, and Emily Ehrat of Chicora; one step-granddaughter, Megan Crawford of Chicora, and a sister, Darlene Ace and her husband, Ken, of Chicora.
In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by a sister, Donna Lee.
Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home of Chicora, 339 Chicora Fenelton Rd., Chicora, from 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesday, October 25, 2022. A funeral service will follow from the funeral home at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Beverly Roscoe, pastor of the Karns City United Methodist Church, officiating. The interment will be at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Chicora. Military honors will be accorded at the cemetery by members of the Chicora and Brady’s Bend American Legion Posts.
Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com