This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Ronald Willson who was born in Washington on Sep 17, 1947 and passed away on Sep 05, 2004 at the age of 56. We will remember him forever.
"I, Ronald Wheeler Willson, domiciled in Kitsap County, Washington, realizing the uncertainty of this life and with full confidence and trust in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in His death on the cross for my sins and in His shed blood as an atonement for my soul, and knowing that by faith in His sacrifice on the cross for me I have eternal life, declare this to be my Will." This was not only the first paragraph in my dad's legal will, but this was truly his will - to follow Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
My dad was born on September 17, 1947, to Charles Woodrow Willson and Evelyn Willson. One day during my dad's early childhood, his mother got a call from a doctor. The doctor said, "Mrs. Willson, we would like to do some tests on your son, Ron. We suspect that he may have some disabilities." After consulting her husband, my grandmother agreed to the testing. Even though my grandparents agreed to the testing they knew that God was bigger than whatever disabilities my dad would have. It was found that my dad had a speech impediment and poor motor skills. The doctor also said that he would never be able to walk correctly and it would be a long hard road. After that phone call, my grandma got on her knees every day and began to pray for her son. She said, "Lord, let my son become a preacher." His mom worked with him every day, reading to him and teaching him how to read and to speak. She oftentimes would lay magazines on the floor and have my dad walk on them with only his socks on to help him learn balance. He would often slip and fall, but because of this determination and his parents' uncompromising faith in Jesus Christ, my dad was healed of his speech impediment and began to walk and talk with pride because of the work of Jesus Christ!
Growing up, my dad was teased and made fun of. He was the punchline of cruel jokes as he would often stutter and fall. His high school football coach, Ted Berney, told me that he asked my dad to run the stairs...my dad looked at him and said, "Coach, I can't." Ted Berney said, "You can." My dad began to run those stairs, often falling and getting back up as those sitting in the bleachers laughed and made fun of him. He did not stop running and falling until he was instructed to. It is no wonder that he helped teach swim lessons to children who had disabilities because he himself could feel their pain. I am sure, he said, "Lord, who am I that the Lord of all the earth who would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt. Who am I, Lord, that the Bright and Morning Star, would choose to light my way for my ever wandering heart?" I think that my dad struggled for a long time with who he was, but that all changed when he met Jesus Christ and accepted him as his Lord and Savior. He knew his identity was in Jesus Christ, not in any of his disabilities. He was a child of the king!
On September 18, 1970, he married Shari Lynn Gasper, my mom. There were many questions surrounding their marriage. Would Ron be able to support his wife? Could he give my mom what she needed? Many people had doubts and I'm sure this hurt my dad and my mom but my parents put their faith in Jesus Christ. My mom was the best thing that happened to my dad. She made him a better person, a better follower of Christ, and a tremendous father. In fact, I'm a better person because Ronald Wheeler Willson was my dad. When my mom got pregnant with my sister, Melody, who was born on May 17, 1974, again there were many questions surrounding her pregnancy. Would the child have a disability too? Would the child grow up to be a productive person in society? Again, God showed his faithfulness as my dad and mom had an uncompromising faith in Jesus Christ. My sister is a godly woman who also has an uncompromising faith. She truly has God's wisdom and has hidden God's word in her heart.
My dad was my best friend. He was my teacher and I was his student. He was my coach and I was the athlete. He was the mirror image of Jesus and I was the disciple. He was my cheerleader but I was his biggest fan. I could remember when I made my first basket in Peewee basketball. The referee yelled at him to get off the court as he ran down the lines cheering me on! I was a terrible baseball player but yet my dad encouraged me to swing the bat until I hit the ball. It is no wonder why my dad got the "Most Inspirational Award" on his baseball team. When I got cut from the freshman basketball team in high school, my dad could feel my pain as he listened to me cry. He said, "Ryan, God has bigger and better plans for you." When I graduated from high school he said, "Son, I stand by you and any decision you make for your life." As I struggled in my studies at Seattle Pacific University and oftentimes would call home overwhelmed with my own struggle about who I was, he reminded me that Christ knew my name and He cared to feel my hurt and that the Bright and Morning Star was lighting the way for my ever wandering heart.
My dad was so proud of me. I could never really understand why he was so proud. Now I understand. It all goes back to the prayer that was whispered to God so long ago by his mom. "Lord, let my son be a preacher." Every time I have preached, my dad would want to come no matter the distance. You see, I believe I was living out the prayer that my grandma whispered so long ago, one that had now become my dad's prayer as well. The last time he heard me speak was on June 13, 2004, the day after he was able to walk my sister down the aisle to be married to Ben Porter. As I spoke in his own home church, he was so proud as he introduced me in both services to the congregation. In his introduction he said, "I feel like this is Father's Day. My daughter was married yesterday and my son is here preaching in my home church. This has truly been the best weekend of my life." I thouht it was strange that he was in the front row for both services but he wanted me to know that he supported me.
John Wesley once said, "Make all you can, spend all you can and give all you can." This sums up my dad's life. He made everything he could out of his life while he was on earth. He spent himself on people. He loved people and people loved him. He gave and gave and gave, even when he had nothing else to give. My dad never sought to have his name in bold print. He was satisfied and content to do the jobs that no one else wanted to do. For 35 years, he worked as a gas station attendant, a warehouseman and as a sales associate at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in the Navy Exchange. He was the man you wanted on your committee or team because you knew he would find a way to get the job done and done well. After his retirement, he went back to his first love, the church. He served as the custodian at the ABC Day Care at Port Orchard Nazarene.
My dad was committed to Jesus Christ and His Church. He was so loyal to every pastor who he was under. He supported them when others criticized them. He stood by when others left. He was the first at church and the last to leave. He truly loved the Bride of Christ which is the Church.
My dad went home to be with Jesus on September 5, 2004. He is survived by his wife, Shari, son, Ryan and his wife Jennifer of Tonasket, Washington, a daughter, Melody, and her husband, Ben Porter, of Port Orchard, brother John and his wife Kathy of Whidbey Island, and brother Jerry and his wife Sunny of Port Orchard, a sister, Karen and her husband, Bill Rowe, of Port Orchard, and two grandchildren, Curtis and Kara Willson.
When my dad was ushered into the Kingdom, I'm sure he said, "Who am I that the eyes that see my sin, would look on me with love, and watch me rise again. Who am I that the voice that calmed the sea, would call out through the rain and calm the storm in me. Not because of who I am, Lord, but because of what you've done, not because of what I've done but because of who you are. I am yours."
Fourth Anniversary / Ryan Willson (Son)
The power is out again! Losing power and water is very common here in Malawi. Loosing and not having some of our American comforts is something we have had to adjust to. There are some things about the culture that have made it a very easy adjustm...
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With Sympathy / Linda Richmond (A Long Time Ago )
I used to attend the Free Methodist Church in Bremerton with my Mom, Martha Ploegman. I knew Ron....he was born in the same year I was. Ron was a great kid. I only knew him as a kid. We attended Christian Youth Crusaders toget...
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My Condolence / Linda Geyer (Friend)
Shari, I remember Ron and you at Warm Beach Camp, in the nursery, and you came by the longhouse at craft time. Both of you were always encouraging to whoever you spoke to. I also remember your smiles because I needed them in those days...
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To Shari and family with love / Bud Musick
My wife Betty and I send our deepest condolences to Shari, Ryan, and Melody in the loss of their husband and father, Ron Willson. I met Shari through chatting on the internet and I learned all about her family, especially Ron. I found out that they w...
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The Overseer / Jerry Willson (Brother)
Dear Family,
It's been a little over a month since Ron passed away.
Even though I've lived by "Life Goes On" all my life,
Ron has left a hole in my life. I know Shari, Melody,
and Ryan have the biggest loss, and I'm sure John,
...
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We love You, Ron/ Larry And Wilma Gasper (dad&mom-in-law)Read >>
A Life Not Wasted It was probably said many times as my dad was young that his life was going to be wasted. Through snide remarks and jokes about how he spoke with a severe speech impediment, and walked in an unorthodox fashion, I’m sure questions started to form in his mind. What is my purpose? Why was I created this way? Will my life be wasted?
September 5th, 2007 marks 3 years since my dad’s passing. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. Sure the shock and sting of death have waned but the memories of my Dad burn like the hot, African sun. God’s healing touch was obviously on my dad. The Jesus that walks with my dad still speaks to me today. A wasted life? I think not!
I have often thought about my dad and the conversations we would have if he were still alive. What would he say? What humble advice would he give me? When would he come to visit my family? I believe that my dad had a unique ability to hear God’s voice. Time and time again he would ask me, “Son, when am I going to come visit you in Africa?” You need to know that he was asking me this question even before Africa was ever a thought in my mind! Could it be that God was using my dad to prepare me for what I am doing now? A wasted life? I think not!
Although I can’t be sure, the Holy Spirit tells me that my dad came to a crossroads a few times in his life where he had to make a bold decision--to succumb to a wasted life or live a life that would glorify God in weakness. If there is one paragraph that could sum up the choice that my dad made it is the one below by John Piper.
“God created me-and you-to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion-namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. Enjoying and displaying are both crucial. If we try to display the excellence of God without joy in it, we will display a shell of hypocrisy and create scorn or legalism. But if we claim to enjoy his excellence and do not display it for others to see and admire, we deceive ourselves, because the mark of God enthralled joy is to overflow and expand by extending itself into the hearts of others. The wasted life is the life without passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.”
As I look back on my life and some of the decisions I have made I can see that it was the life lived for the glory of God that influenced my decision to be here in Africa. Almost 3 years ago I was talking with God. I had come to a crossroads in my life. Was I going to waste my life? I can hear God like it was yesterday whispering, “Will you Go?” I tried to think of many good excuses why I should not or could not bring my family to Africa. The answer that I finally gave to God was “Sure God, why not Go?” I could not find one good excuse not to go! The Bible says, “That you can give away all that you have and deliver your body to be burned and have not love” (1 Corinthians 13:3). I realized that if I don’t “Go” to point people to God for everlasting joy, I don’t love and I have wasted my life. Like the days and years that have now gone by, today I remember my dad and how he lived a life that was not wasted. His life to me serves as a vivid reminder of how to not live a wasted life but to live a life of passion for God in all things for the joy of all people, even in Malawi, Africa! I love you Dad.
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