Ronald (Ron) Paul Isaacson, age 64, peacefully departed from this earthly existence to our Father in Heaven on Jan. 9, 2013, at Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces, N.M. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Juliann (Roewe) Isaacson of Las Cruces, son, Nicholas Paul Isaacson and his wife, Melissa of Lacey, Wash., and daughter, Elizabeth Ann Isaacson and her fiancée, Rodney Staggard and granddaughter, Emily Margaret Staggard of Mt. Evelyn, Victoria near Melbourne, Australia.
Born July 5, 1948, in Centralia, Wash., to Betty Mae (Bailey) and Paul Isaacson, Ron was the eldest of their four sons. Ron’s brothers include, Steven and wife, Grace of Carson City, Nev., Greg of Centralia, Wash., and David and wife, Gayle of Chehalis, Wash. Ron also has numerous brothers and sisters-in-law including, Michael Roewe of Chehalis, Wash., Dr. Brian and Kristina Rogers of Bozeman, Mont., Edwin and Jan Fleming of Pe Ell, David Roewe of Las Cruces, Susan Roewe and her spouse, Christopher Fawcett, of Olympia, Matthew Roewe and his wife, Amy Jo Grotefendt of Seattle, Wash. Greg’s wife, Jody, and Mike’s wife, Karen, also passed away this year. Ron also has many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, too numerous to list here as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Ron grew up in Centralia, where he enjoyed playing sandlot baseball with his brothers and neighborhood friends, delivering newspapers and just being a kid with no fears. He was well liked by his school mates because of his amiable personality. He joined the Navy in 1966 and served until 1969 aboard the USS Halibut, a nuclear submarine. In 1968, Ron and his fellow crewmembers were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their work locating the sunken Soviet submarine, K-129, in three miles of water. The Halibut was the only submarine in the U.S. fleet equipped with deep submergence search equipment. He enrolled at Centralia College in the spring of 1969 where he met his future wife. After the wedding in 1971, they attended Washington State University together where Ron graduated from the School of Business in 1973.
Ron had a strong desire to travel and see the world, which he accomplished through his work on coal-fired steam plants, partnership in a core-drilling operation and later, large international engineering companies. Community service was also important to Ron which led to his involvement in the Jaycee organization and Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
Family meant everything to Ron so no matter where he was working, he would take Juli and the kids home to visit Chehalis and Centralia a couple of times a year. He was so proud to see Nick receive his Boy Scout Eagle award, marry his wife, Missy, serve his country for 6 years in the U.S. Air Force and graduate with his degree in engineering. He enjoyed attending Liz’s swim meets, snorkeling with her in Bali and was proud to know she received two Masters degrees. He was filled with joy to hold his first grandchild last June.
When the kids were both in college in 2000, Juli joined Ron in Dili, East Timor, where they both lived and worked until 2005. He had joined The World Bank by then and served as Assistant Country Manager. Laos, Southern Sudan, and Kenya, from where he directed relief work in Somalia, were his last few posts. His work with The WB, until he retired in 2010, was primarily in post-conflict developing countries requiring technical and financial assistance to rebuild infrastructure, governance, educational facilities and healthcare facilities. His life goal “to make the world a better place” was achieved in small ways through his work.
His primary hobbies included, photography and golf because he could enjoy them no matter where he lived. He joined the international group, Hash House Harriers, for exercise and recreation in most of his overseas posts. They operated as “ambassadors of goodwill” with local populations in East Timor, Laos, Sudan and Kenya. Some of the family reflected on what a great photographer Ron was and how he enjoyed taking pictures of all the indigenous people he encountered and how much they enjoyed looking at them.
After retirement, they moved from Olympia, Wash., to Las Cruces, N.M., where they established themselves among many new friends, tailgated at NMSU football games, and intended to play a lot of golf. Ron continued to go abroad with short-term consulting contracts which included Sierra Leone and Papua New Guinea.
No local services were held in Las Cruces, but a celebration of life service will be held in Chehalis, Wash., on Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. A proper Irish wake at Dick’s Brewing Company, 3516 Galvin Rd, Centralia, WA will take place immediately after the church service. In lieu of flowers, please send remembrances to Ron’s favorite charity, Pope’s Kids Place, 230 Washington Way, Centralia, WA 98531. On-line donations may be made through the website: http://www.popeskidsplace.org/donate.html.
