Ronald “Ron” Vernon Howatson
Ronald “Ron” Vernon Howatson of Issaquah passed away Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at Swedish Hospital Medical Center.
Ron was born July 1, 1932 in Seattle, Washington to Vernon and Hazel Howatson. He was raised in Preston and attended Preston Grade School for his first seven years of school. For the next five years, Preston kids were bussed to Issaquah to continue their education. Ron graduated from Issaquah High School in 1950 after which he served in the United States Navy as a Seabee during the Korean War.
After serving in the Seabees, he attended Edison Technical School and learned the art of the Electrical Trade. He retired after forty years of service in the electrical industry.
Ron and Donna June Thompson were married from 1952 to 1982. They resided in North Bend and raised four children: Rebecca Sue, James Ronald, Michael Roy, and Sara Beth. Ron was a great father, always involved in his kids’ activities, spending fun times with each of them and all of them in their many interests including Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls, sports and music.
Ron married Norma Geraldine Mulanax in 1983. They settled in Issaquah where they built a home, gardens, and many friendships, and enjoyed the company of Norma’s three children, Carmen, Gary and Charles.
Ron was a long-time member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and served as Worthy President in 2011 and 2012. As a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars he received the Albert Larson VFW Post 3436 Veteran of the Year Award in 2012. Recognizing the sacrifice of his fellow veterans and educating others about veteran service was very important to Ron. For more than 10 years Ron placed flags on the graves of veterans at Hillside Cemetery in Issaquah and participated in Memorial Day celebrations.
An avid hiker and a member of Mountaineers and Issaquah Alps Hiking Club, Ron hiked many strenuous trails such as The Enchantments, Chilkoot Trail in Alaska, Walk Across Maryland and the English Country Hike. He contributed to the hiking community by building and improving hiking trails around the Issaquah area.
In his spare time Ron enjoyed gardening, tractor club and vintage cars. Ron enjoyed writing short stories and polished his writing skills at Bellevue College. But more than anything, Ron especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
Ron leaves behind the four children who loved him dearly: Rebecca (Bill) Gauthier, James (Holli) Howatson, Michael (Donna) Howatson and Sara (Phillip Bissenas) Howatson; three stepchildren, Carmen Ey, Gary Trunkhill, and Charles Trunkhill; his sisters, Verney (Bill) Dickson and Joy (Don) Candee; fourteen grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and a host of extended family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Norma in 2015; his parents, Vernon and Hazel and his siblings, Joanne (Jody) Edwards and Tom Howatson.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Flintoft’s Issaquah Funeral Home. A committal with military honors will follow at Hillside Cemetery. Friends are invited to view photos, get directions and share memories in the family’s online guest book at www.flintofts.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Issaquah Eagles Club for the repair of the south wall.
