On May 17th our warrior passed away at home in the arms of his wife Jane and daughter Andrea Pitts (Stefano Taucer), holding flowers picked by his most cherished grandson William.
Ron, the eldest of eight children, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Joseph and Pearl Pitts. He grew up in the Bayview Village area of Toronto and attended high school at St. Michael’s College School where he made lifelong friendships. Like his father and grandfather, Ron was an engineer. He graduated from the University of Toronto’s engineering program in 1972 and completed his MBA the following year. Growing up, Ron spent many cherished summers with his father overseeing the building of roads at Pitts Construction job sites throughout Ontario and Manitoba. Ron went on to have a successful career in business and regaled us often with travel stories reminiscent of Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Always active, he was a long-time member of Thornhill Club and Bayview Golf & Country Club. Ron would say none of these details mattered but that his greatest accomplishment was the family he created with his soul mate and love of his life Jane.
At a New Year’s Eve party in 1970, Ron and Jane locked eyes and have been inseparable ever since. Together for more than fifty-five years, they were best friends and created the most incredible loving home for their daughter Andrea (always his “Andy”). A true man and gentleman in every sense, Ron loved fiercely and always made sure his girls were well taken care of. There was simply no better father on earth. He was Andy’s hero, confidant, and giver of honest fashion advice. However, the supreme joy of his life was his grandson William and it is an understatement to say that he excelled at being Grandpa, moving up to Ottawa in recent years just to be closer.
Ron was a larger than life character with a sense of humor that was unmatched. He was the life of any party, lit up every room and made the house shake with laughter. Even in his last days he kept everyone laughing, admitting that his only regret in life was that he once turned down a bottle of Sassicaia when offered.
Ron’s happiest days were yearly family vacations on Jekyll Island, evenings spent listening to classical music with Jane who he described as his “heaven” (they were never short on conversation), late night tennis games under the lights with Andy, talking business over a glass of scotch (or one too many) with his son-in-law Stefano, storytelling with William, and the many family gatherings with his sisters, brothers-in-law and beloved nieces and nephews.
We will think of you with every bottle of Amarone, every oyster, every time we hear the Beach Boys, and every off-side joke. There is a void in our hearts too great to describe and the world is more dim forever. We know you are in the arms of your Saviour and we will do our best to live life to the max, just the way you did.
Family and friends are invited to pay respects on Saturday May 23, at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave. Ottawa On after 11a.m. Funeral Service will be held at 1p.m. followed by interment.
Ron’s family is so thankful for the care of Father Dan at Annunciation of Our Lord Parish, and the exceptional team of doctors and nurses that he had throughout his battle with cancer including Dr. Chepeha, Dr. Yao (Princess Margaret), Dr. Ong (Ottawa General Hospital), Dr. Brodeur (Bytown Palliative Care), and Nurses Armando, Heather and Dani.
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