Ronnie Michael RUDANEC
Ronnie Michael Rudanec (aka Ron, Ray, Raymond, Ray-Ron, Coach) Loved beyond words, Husband, Dad, Gido, Uncle, Brother, Son, & Friend.
We are heartbroken to share the sudden passing of Ron Rudanec on May 9, 2026, at the age of 69.
Ron was born in March 1957 in Vilna, Alberta. His family later moved to Edmonton, where he grew up. His childhood and teenage years helped shape the funny, hard-working, and loyal man we know today.
Ron is loved and cherished by his wife Deborah, his children Melissa (Ryan), Stephanie (Cody), and Shaun (Ashton), and his grandchildren Gracie, Hope, Veronica (aka Ronni), Sebastian, and Matthias, who adore their Gido. He also leaves behind his loving mother Rose Rudanec, sisters Linda and Dianne, brothers David and Michael, and a large extended family he was especially close with. He was predeceased by his father Mike Rudanec. The family feels Ron’s absence in everything.
He was a devoted husband, a loving dad, and a very proud Gido. These were the roles he valued most, and he lived them fully and genuinely every day. His greatest joy was being with his kids and grandkids, whether it was special occasions, a family vacation, cheering them on at sports and dance, or simply stopping in just to visit. The grandkids would always run right past everyone to find Gido. When he was with them, he played, laughed, and was present in a way that made those moments feel full and unhurried, as if nothing else in the world mattered.
Ron was the person people turned to for advice, and he always seemed to know exactly what to do in any situation. He could fix anything. He had a gift for reading the room and offering the right words at the right time, whether that was comfort, humour, or a well-timed story. He didn’t need attention or the spotlight, but people were naturally drawn to him. He loved a good joke, always had a story ready, and had a way of making people feel at ease just by being himself.
Ron lived by a simple belief: if something was worth doing, it was worth doing right. He carried that into everything he did, along with honesty, loyalty, and dedication to the people around him. He was authentic in the way he lived his life and consistent in the way he showed up for others.
With retirement on the horizon, he wasn’t ready to slow down. Ron found great fulfillment in his role as General Manager at Quality Poly Pig. He was excellent at what he did and was known for his strong work ethic and leadership. Whether in his career or personal life, he took pride in doing things properly, and giving his best every day. He valued the people he worked with and the role he played, and he was deeply respected for his reliability and dedication. He was the kind of person you could always count on, steady, dependable, and always there when it mattered.
You Gave Us Love
You left this world so quickly
We still wonder why
For the saddest part of all
You never said goodbye
You left us so many memories
To us you were so dear
No matter when we needed you
We always found you near
You gave us all you had to give
Gifts both big and small
But most of all you gave us love
The greatest gift of all
His love, strength, and presence will live on in all of us and we will carry them forward always. He was the glue of our family and we will miss him more than any words can say.
A celebration of life will be held in the coming weeks.
This is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful person. He will be missed.
A Ukrainian, a rabbi, and a priest walk into a bar…
That’s how I imagine Ron would start a speech at his own “celebration of life”, he always had a way of making everybody feel at ease, he’d always say the right thing at the right time to make you feel better or lighten the situation with his sharp wit. He had an uncanny ability to remember an infinite number of terrible “Dad” jokes, and he’d always pick the right one to reveal at just the right moment. And even if you’d heard it a hundred times, it would still be funny. Because the punchline wasn’t the point, he was.
Hi, I’m Tim Canete, President of Suncast & QPP, and I’ve had the fortune of working close to Ron for almost 9 years. Suncast purchased QPP in 2016, and Ron, along with Aime came with the acquisition. He had been running QPP for 7 years prior to that; and he would’ve celebrated his 17 year anniversary on June 1.
There’s a Ukrainian proverb that says: “A man is known by his deeds, not his words”, but not Ron, he’s known for his deed AND his words. Let’s start with his deeds, and a joke…
How do you know if a Ukrainian is an optimist?
He washes his truck before a rainstorm…
And during…
And after…
And that’s how he ran QPP for all these years, quietly, consistently, precisely, reliably. With a supernatural attention to detail. It didn’t matter how much mud/snow/rain there was, you could always bet your house that as soon as you turned onto Aurum road, you’d see a shiny sparkling glowing white truck perfectly parked in reverse in the first stall outside Suncast/QPP.
Same thing at work, it didn’t matter if the walls were falling down and customers were angry, he always had the same steady demeanor, same optimistic view that things would get better, and they always did. His truck was always immaculate. His desk, same. His schedule, you could set your watch by his smoke break; not approximately… exactly… to the second.
We used to joke that he didn’t have habits. He WAS habit. A perfectly engineered, meticulously maintained, Ukrainian-built routine, as accurate as an atomic clock.
For those of you who didn’t have the privilege of watching Ron eat lunch every single day for years — it was a ritual. Same time. Same sandwich. Same bag. Same juice box. Same 13 grapes. And that Ziploc? Washed, dried, folded, and ready for tomorrow.
Nine years is long time to work with someone, long enough to know their lunch order, smoke schedule, their tells, and humour. Long enough to know that their absence doesn’t feel like a gap, it feels like a missing wall, a foundational pillar. Something structural. Something you leaned on for support without even realizing it.
And underneath all of it — underneath the recycled Ziploc bags and recycled dad jokes — was a man who was adored his family. His wife Deb. His daughter Melissa, and twins Steph and Shaun. You could see the glint in his eye every time he talked about his Five grandkids.
….
So, back to the bar joke…
The Ukrainian says “I’ll order Horilka”,
The Rabbi says “I’ll have some water”,
The Priest says “I’ll have some wine”,
And the bartender says “What is this, the last supper?”
…
And it was.
And we’ll miss you.
Every day.
Ron, I think you’d appreciate knowing that we’re all going to be ok.
You built things too well for us not to be.
To Deb and kids Ray was a good man many fond memories my deepest sympathy to you Jimmy
What a beautiful tribute to the powerful and pivotal role Ray played in so many people’s lives. May you remember the touching, funny and quirky things Ray did to bring a smile to your face moving forward.
I did business with Ron a few times through my career. He was a wonderful trustworthy person I feel for Ron’s family
My condolences to Deb and your family. Ray was a wonderful man with a great sense of humour, we always loved his presence.
So sorry Debbie, Melissa, Stephanie, Shawn and the rest of the family. Ron was the best, he always put a smile on everyone’s face. He will be greatly missed. Sending love from the Kuspira family. ❤️🙏
Deb, so sorry to hear about Ray. Our condolences to you and your family.
Neighbours: Shan and Warren
Ron, double R.
You were a true friend from the day I met you as a single man employed at PWA.
As the years passed and a marriage to Debbie and 3 wonderful family followed.
You were the proudest person who dedicated your life to ensure your wife and families well being.
Rest in peace my good friend, a life taken too early.
A fine tribute for Ron, you had a long association with him Al, I did recall you worked together at PWA. Best regards, Jim Guthrie
Deb and family
May God’s Angels wrap their loving arms around you and your family. May God give you peace, strength, love and comfort during this season of sorrow. We are here for you always.
With abundant LOVE, Cec and family
Ron was a devoted family man, and we were honored to have known him. A life well lived is a life well remembered. Ron will be remembered well.
Deb and Family. Ron’s passing has left a huge hole in our hearts, a void which will never be filled. Thank God however for the treasured memories Ron has left for us all. He was truly an awesome Friend of my Family and Brother to me. God Bless.
My deepest condolences to Deb and the family, What a beautiful tribute. I worked side by side with Ron for several years, such a great man, His wealth of knowledge was unwavering, along with his humour in the shop sure made it so easy and enjoyable to work with him, Ron will be deeply missed and never forgotten!
Debbie & Family, we are so very sorry for your loss. Ray has been our neighbour for the pas 39 years and we will miss his friendly waives and smiles. May your memories comfort you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you,
The Escaravage Family (Janice, Bob, Nikki & Cory)
Debbie and family, on behalf of the many Gulf Canada and Beaudril alumni, we offer our deepest condolences and our prayers. Ron was a truly special person, full of humor and always provided support to all. He will be missed!
My sincere condolences to the Rudanec family from one of the Gulf/Beaudril family who knew Ron and could always count on him to do things the right way, all the time. May he rest in peace. Mike Walsh
It has been an honor working alongside Ron for the past 3+ years. He was truly valued by everyone at Quality Polly Pig Ltd & Suncast Polytech Inc., and the memories we shared will always be treasured. Words cannot express how much he meant to our team. Sending love and strength to his family and all who knew and loved him.
We were so saddened to hear about the loss of Ron our friend, your husband, father and grand father. Our hearts truly go out to you and your family during this incredibly difficult time. There are no words that can ease such a loss, but we hope you find comfort in the love, memories, and support surrounding you. All the years I worked with Ron, he was incredible to work for, respectful, kind and humorous and just a great soul.
Please know that you are in our thoughts, sending deepest condolences and strength to you and your family.
I only knew Ron through business over the last 15-20 years but really enjoyed the conversations on the phone and the occasional in person visit over a few cups of coffee. We talked business, family, hockey, coaching and sports. What a classy man. He will be missed and my condolences go out to his family and his business family at QPP. Rest in peace sir.