Ronald Albert McCammant went to heaven March 17, 2017, with his family by his side. He was born March 22, 1935, to Mary Jane (Wood) McCammant and Albert (Pete) McCammant at home in Sandpoint, Idaho.
His earliest memories were of foster homes in Wisconsin, where he began milking cows by hand at the age of four. At 16, he had to quit school to go to work on a farm for his room and board and never missed a milking in three years.
At 19, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving in Korea and France as a heavy equipment operator. He had a National Defense Service Medal and an Marksmanship Badge (carbine). While in Korea, he became ill and then endured many life threatening surgeries over the years with great determination and mental strength.
In 1957, he met his love, Sylvia and they married in December, living and loving together for 59 years. They had five daughters, Colleen (David Bellows), Irish McCammant (Brent Wright), Sheila (Steve Fryer), Laurie (Brad Mitchell), and Charlene (Mike Bradley), who dearly loved him and were the pride and joy of his life. Ronald’s favorite vacations were visiting his children. He gave his mom flowers every year on his birthday and his wife carnations every week for years.
He enjoyed hunting, being on a tractor, discing, plowing, rototilling, brush hogging and etc; and later in life, playing poker with friends.
Ronald could always figure math problems faster in his head than most could on their calculators and he had an astounding memory for dates of historical events.
He loved bingo, Yahtzee, and dominos in his spare time and Fox News in full doses.
Ronald excelled at bowling, receiving many cash awards, patches and pins, and in his prime, few if any, could beat him at horseshoes.
He always faced the adversities in his life with determination and grit. It really was up hill both ways for many of the early years of his childhood, but his resilience gave him the strength he needed to keep pushing forward until his body finally said no more.
Ronald had 10 grandchildren, Steven, Philip, Paul, Carol, Keith, Sarah, Donovan, Katie, Patrick and Shane; 13 great- grandchildren; and his nephew, David McCammant was like a son to him.
He is survived by his wife, Sylvia; three sisters, Beverly Fox, Betty Painter and Ila Foss; and three brothers, Robert McCammant, Duane McCammant and Leroy King.
Ronald was preceded in death by his father, Albert (Pete) McCammant; mother, Mary Jane King; stepfather, Leroy King; and sister, Janice Moline.
A memorial service is at 1 p.m., March 25, 2017, at Yelm Prairie Christian Center.Viewing is at 12:30 p.m.
