Ronald L. Smith

Ronald L. "Ron" Smith, age 78, of New Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Hennis Care Centre, Bolivar, following a brief illness.

Born Jun. 17, 1934, at Beach City, he was a son of the late Tom and Ethel Solley Smith. Ron attended school at Zoar and served honorably in the United States Army during the Korean War. Following his service time he was employed by The Ruhlin Co. of Sharon Center, a construction company. Ron later formed his own company, which was in the business of sandblasting and painting bridges. He wed Virginia L. "Ginny" Gribble on Jun. 27, 1964. The couple had four children, and were married just shy of forty-eight years before Ginny's passing on Jun. 17 of this year.

Ron was a member of the Tuscarawas post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and enjoyed playing Jass there with Ginny. Many happy times were spent camping and fishing in Canada with his family. Ron was a sports fan, following the Indians, Browns and Cavaliers, and he also had a green thumb, putting in a large vegetable garden every year.

Survivors include his three daughters, Diana (Greg) Swinderman and Sandy (Dave) Smith, both of New Philadelphia, and Beth (Randy) Crouse of Strasburg; his son, Bill Davidson, also of New Philadelphia; his seven grandchildren, Randy, Tara, Nathan, Ashley, Toni, Justin and Mandy; his fourteen great-grandchildren; his three sisters, Barbara Norman of Strasburg, Sandy Tyson of Port Washington, and Sally (Rick) Nagel of Nevada, OH; his brother, John Smith of Dover; many nieces and nephews; his sisters-in-law, Doris (Richard) Mussman, Mary Wiles, Becky (James) Golden and Helen (Robert) Ortwin; his brothers-in-law, Mack, Terry and Larry Gribble.

In addition to his parents, and his beloved Ginny, Ron was preceded in death by his grandson, David Smith; his sister, Bernice Welsch; his two brothers, Tom and Jim Smith; his sisters-in-law, Maxine Whitman, Patsy Gribble and Christina Smith; his brother-in-law, Bud Gribble; and his step-father, Austin Grinder.

A funeral service will be held Sunday, Aug. 5, at 3 p.m., in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory at Dover, with Rev. Brian Flood officiating. Immediately following the service, military rites will be conducted at the funeral home's flagpole, and then there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover. Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Sunday, 1 3 p.m. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Ron, please visit the Obituaries and Flowers link on the funeral home's website.