It is with profound sadness and much love, that we mourn the passing of Ronald, at 66 years of age.

Ron was a devoted husband to Andrea, with whom he shared 35 years, and a dedicated, loving father of Ryan (Nicole) and Jason (Kathryn).  He will be lovingly remembered by his brothers Greg and Stephen and he was an adored godfather and uncle to Matthew (Evelyn), Megan (Shakil), Shane, Dylan and Sarah. His extended family will miss him dearly, but we know he will be welcomed with open arms by his beloved parents, Sam and Marilyn, his big brother Gary, his loving mother and father in law, Robert and Mary Brannigan and the many family members he loved, and friends he made so easily, throughout his life.

Ron loved 4 things in life, above all else – Family, Friends, the Oakville Fire Department and Baseball.

Ron lived most of his life in Oakville.  It is the place where he grew up, attended school, raised his family and worked for the Town of Oakville;  first in the Parks and Recreation Department and then in his dream job, as a Firefighter, 1st Class in the Oakville Fire Department.

Ron was a dedicated family man, who taught Ryan and Jason how to swim, skate, ride a bike and of course swing a baseball bat.  As a firefighter, he declined a second job in favour of being home with our boys.  With his wood working skills, he built contraptions they could play with and he helped with every school project, where creating something was required.  He attended every school event, practice, game, and Jiu Jitsu class he could, with his shift work at the fire hall.  He loved and protected us fiercely and he always put us first.

Close to his heart, were all the dear friends Ron made along the way.  From the day he could pick up a bat, he loved the game of baseball; playing first in Oakville, then in Cambridge and finally, with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  In all cases, Ron loved being part of the team;  working together to get the win,  traveling and celebrating with his teammates, and in every case, making life-long friends in the process.  When his playing days were over, he coached one of our sons and was always ready to help out teams where he had no affiliation, because he was just that kind of guy, and he loved the game.

Ron loved being a fire fighter…it was all he ever wanted to be.  He was a helper by nature, his Mom always called him "her rock" and as a fire fighter, he had found his calling, in a role where every day, he might get a chance to make a difference in someone else's life.  He never aspired to management, but rather, he always wanted to be with his crew, on the rig, going to the calls.  He especially enjoyed the camaraderie and friendship with his "brothers" around the fire hall.  He made jam, and cooked for the guys and continued to do so, long after his retirement.  He walked in remembrance day ceremonies, Santa Claus parades and helped out at boot drives…whatever he could do to represent and support the fire service, Ronnie was there.

Ron never met a stranger and he was famous for visiting his family and friends, with his customary bottle of wine…even the car mechanic and the staff at the bank received gifts and tokens of appreciation from Ron.  He was thoughtful and generous and made everyone in his orbit feel valued and special.

While the last few years posed significant health challenges for Ron, he managed as well as he could.  Throughout it all, he remained generous of spirit, always willing to lend a hand and above all else, he was the kindest, most honorable person you will ever meet.    He left us far too soon, but he will never be forgotten. We were all very lucky to be counted among Ron's friends, because he has left us all with beautiful memories, and a lasting legacy he and his family will always be proud of…

If we had one wish, it would be that we could all learn this one lesson from the way Ron lived his life… "that in a world where you can be anything, be kind".  We will love you forever Ronnie…God speed.

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Visitation for Ron Darichuk will take place at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home (64 Lakeshore Road W. Oakville) on  Thursday, October 10th from 2:00pm – 4:00pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm, with the service to take place at the same location on Friday, October 11th  at 1:00pm.

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To celebrate and honour Ron's life, you may consider making a donation to the charity of your choice,

or one of the following, as selected by the family:

bootsontheground.ca
or
alzheimer.ca