Jan. 1, 1947 – Oct. 2, 2022
Ronald Bascue passed away of natural causes on Oct. 2, 2022 at the age of 75.
Ron was born on New Year’s Day, 1947 in Silverton, Ore. to Forest and Olive (Brown) Bascue. He spent most of his life in Cottage Grove, graduating from Cottage Grove High School in 1965.
Ron’s tales of childhood painted a classic picture of a boy’s life in 1950s rural Oregon – filled with fishing, hunting, outdoor adventures and Westerns; passions that he maintained throughout his life. As both a boy and a man, Ron loved dogs (and tolerated cats).
Ron and Cheryl Townsend, also of Cottage Grove, married on Dec. 23, 1966 and raised three children. Ron worked in the lumber industry for 48 years, retiring from Seneca Sawmill in 2013. He served in the National Guard for six years.
One of Ron’s greatest passions was sports. He was a regular fan at the sporting events of his children and grandchildren over the years, where he would quietly root on his teams and almost never have an ill word about the officiating.
Ron also loved bowling. A lot. The bowling alley was like a second home. When not bowling himself, Ron enjoyed watching others bowl, telling bowling stories and teaching kids how to bowl. The raw tonnage of his accumulated bowling balls and trophies was astounding.
Splitting wood, raking leaves and yard work were pursuits that Ron didn’t love, but spent untold hours doing anyway. Doing things because they needed to be done, whether he wanted to or not, was essential to Ron. He was the prototypical steadfast dad who, without fanfare, went to work every day, helped however he could, protected his family and worried too much.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Forest and Olive, and sister, Darla Tompkins. He is survived by wife Cheryl, son David, daughter Shelly, son Jeff and wife Michelle (Good), sister Beverly Kivett and husband Virgil, granddaughter Tori (Bascue) Jesser and grandsons Chandler, Iverson and Carter Bascue.
An informal memorial will be held at The Cottage Events Venue, 2915 Row River Rd., Cottage Grove, on Saturday, Nov. 19 from noon to 3 p.m. Arrangements by Smith-Lund-Mills.
