Ronald E. Arons ’78

A few people leave their lasting mark on the class, and we lost one when Ron died of an apparent heart attack Jan. 7, 2024. He was irrepressible, pitching a million zany ideas and making the best ones work. He was a fearless and inspiring part of Reunions talent shows, bringing others into the mix with his over-the-top energy. 

Undaunted by COVID, Ron created a prize-winning P-rade video for our 2020 virtual reunion. He contributed to several class webinars, including a practical and tender one about prostate cancer. He figured his own experience and research might help other men. 

Ron joined us from Rockville Centre, Long Island, and majored in civil engineering, later adding an MBA from the University of Chicago. He forged lasting ties at Charter and within the Jewish community. There were career jobs in tech marketing and financial advising, but Ron found his passion when he tenaciously dug into a shadowy family story about his great-grandfather’s shenanigans. That led to deep study of genealogy, with a specialization in criminal stories and the challenging techniques of Jewish genealogy, which led to two books, international teaching, and speaking tours. 

Ron was buried in his tap shoes and accompanied to his rest by three orange and black juggling balls.