Ronald William Ole Johnson – August 14, 1964 to December 9, 2023
Ronald, of Onoway, Alberta was a loving husband and best friend, father, Mufa, son, brother, and uncle. He passed away after a four year journey with prostate cancer.

Ronald is survived by his wife and best friend Ronda, their children: son Kristen (Erin) and grandchildren Joel and Nora; daughter Amanda (Jay) and granddaughter Chloe; and daughter Alexandra. Ronald is also survived by his loving parents Ron and Myrna Johnson and his sister Audrey (Brian). Ronald is also survived by Ronda’s brothers George (Norma), Dan (Leigh), and Andrew (Jessica), and numerous nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Ronald leaves
behind many close friends, his dearest amongst them Paul Tyschuk. Ronald was predeceased by his sister Kathy in 2007.

Ronald was a big man with an even bigger heart. It’s important to know that even though ‘convention’ suggests those that marry into the family be called ‘in-laws’ Ronald never considered that term when he spoke of those near and dear to him. Everyone was family.

An avid outdoorsman, Ronald loved to camp, fish and hunt. He enjoyed many family fishing trips, hunting trips with his dad Ron and most especially ones with Ronda, Amanda, Jay and Chloe. A recent ‘fishing trip’ with his closest friends Paul, Ken, Derek and Wilf was one that he cherished. While not a single hook was put in the water, lots of stories, whiskey and cigars were shared.

From his early teens Ronald developed a love of motorcycles. Graduating from a moped (that lasted one trip until the frame broke doing a jump), to dirt bikes and most recently his prized Gold Wing, Ronald was able to share this passion with Kristen and many close friends. One of Ronald’s point of pride was riding in the annual Ride for Dad in support of Prostate Cancer, where he was a significant fundraiser in the 2023 ride.

Ronald was very proud of his youngest, Alexandra, and her growing independence and skill she showed. He spent many hours in the truck with her practicing for her driving test, then showing her how to do her own maintenance and oil changes, a skill that was important to him given his own love of tinkering and working on anything with an engine. He loved passing along his skills
and sharing this passion with her.

Another great joy of his life were his three grandchildren, Chloe, Joel and Nora. He spent any opportunity he could passing on his stories, cuddling, playing, and simply enjoying being a Mufa. He also spent a lot of time finding ways to pass on his mischievous ways and be as goofy as possible to keep them laughing.

Ronald and Ronda spent many years resting and relaxing at ‘the farm’. This was a special place for Ronald and Ronda and their family. Ronald was able to putter around to his heart’s content, working on tractors, fixing fences, tinkering with various tools and then sitting around a roaring bonfire in the evening. He delighted in watching his grandkids ride quads, run around playing and watching his fur family in the mix. The farm became a gathering place for many celebrations: birthdays, mother’s and father’s days, and Thanksgiving. It was truly his happy place.

As a community member in the Town of Onoway, Ronald was at one time the chief of the volunteer fire department that included a search and rescue team. His ability to stay calm in difficult situations made him a man to look to for guidance and strength. Ronald exhibited this strength many times over the years; a rock his family could lean on in the most difficult times.

A man with a love for blowing things up from a young age, Ronald turned this love into a hobby, working to get his pyrotechnics license after which he began working with his close friend, Stephen Hunter, to produce fireworks shows. Among his favourite shows were the Canada Day fireworks in Mill Woods, Edmonton and for his hometown of Onoway.

Ronald was a professional truck driver throughout his adult life. He drove for companies hauling gravel or oilfield waste, and most recently worked at GFL. Ronald was a professional through and through and was often quoted as saying “there are no bad roads, just bad drivers”.

Over the past three months, Ronald was in hospice in Stony Plain. As a testament to his impact on others, Ronald’s room was a busy place. It was common to have upwards of eight people in his room visiting, sharing stories and often having a good laugh. He insisted that the vibe of his room be mellow and was fond of telling the staff that no one was to “harsh his mellow”. With Ronda by his side the entire time, Ronald enjoyed a quality of life that made his last few months ones his family will be forever grateful for. He left an indelible mark on all those he met, with his upbeat approach during his time in hospice and his willingness to talk about his journey and graciousness when receiving care.

Ronald’s family, and in particular his wife Ronda, would like to thank Dr. Basappa of the Cross Cancer Institute, his family doctor, Dr. Kelli Burdek, and most especially the caring and compassionate doctors, nurses and support staff at the Westview Continuous Care in Stony Plain and the loving volunteers of the Light Up Your Life Society that provided palliative and hospice care.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ronald’s memory to the Ride for Dad Edmonton chapter ( https://ridefordad.akaraisin.com/ui/PCFF/donations/start?dt=3), or the Light up your Life Society (Home – Light Up Your Life Tri-Community Palliative/Hospice Care Society (lightupyourlifesociety.org).