Ronald Joseph Engles WZ2O(SK)

Austin, Texas

Aug 14, 1933 – Aug 17, 2024

Native Staten Islander; veteran, certified public accountant, 91

Ronald Joseph Engles, 91, native Staten Islander; veteran, certified public accountant, and tireless community volunteer passed away in his sleep on August 17th, 2024 in Round Rock, Texas. Ron was born on August 14th, 1933 on Staten Island, New York to James Engles and Mildred Zilly Engles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother James Vincent Engles and his wife of 62 years Beverly Jane Welsh Engles. They were married on June 29th, 1957, at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in West New Brighton, Staten Island.

Ron graduated from St. Peters High School in 1950. He volunteered for service in the United States Air Force on December 29th, 1950 at the age of 17. Although enlisting with dreams of serving on a flight crew, his innate facility with languages and expansive vocabulary made him a natural candidate for foreign language training. He was sent by the USAF to Syracuse University where he studied and became fluent in Russian. He spent most of his time overseas intercepting radio signals from Russian pilots and endeavoring to provide critical information for the F-86 Sabre jet pilots above. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and United Nations Service Medal among others. He was discharged in 1954 at the rank of Staff Sergeant and would laugh that when he returned stateside to Seattle, Washington, despite being a Korean War veteran, he was too young to drink at the airport bar. He remained lifelong friends with many of the radio intercept operators that he served with and later in life family vacations often included side trips to catch up with these Air Force buddies across the United States.

Following his military service, he returned to Staten Island. While working full time for various financial services and accounting firms, he obtained a degree in Economics from Wagner College, Staten Island in June 1962 and an MBA in Public Accounting from Bernard N. Baruch College of the City University of New York in June 1966. During his daily commute to Manhattan he met a vivacious young teacher who shared the same bus route. His calm and reserved demeanor was a perfect foil for her outgoing and gregarious nature. They remained soulmates until her passing in 2020. They moved to Great Kills, Staten Island and started their family. When his children were younger he was a volunteer and coach for the Great Kills Little League and Lassie League, he lent his accounting skills to the Staten Island Boys Football League and served as videographer for Susan Wagner high school football games. Every April the house was filled with folders of receipts and statements dropped off by friends and neighbors that he would help with their taxes but refuse to charge for his services. They all quickly learned, as did his children from an early age, that his ethics were beyond compromise.

After a long career as an auditor with Bell Laboratories, Ron retired in May of 1992. Retirement was a euphemism as he went on to train as an Emergency Medical Technician and following the couple's relocation to Vass, North Carolina he joined the Vass Rescue Squad. He was awarded the Vass Rescue Squad Man of the Year Award for his services to the community. While in North Carolina he also volunteered at Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship and he and Beverly raised funds to build their town's first public library branch. Later, after moving to Sun City Center, Florida in 2004 he obtained his FCC amateur radio license. He joined the Sun City Center Amateur Radio Club providing emergency communications to Hillsborough County in times of crisis. In addition to his endless volunteer avocations, he enjoyed boating, fishing, shooting and traveling. He and Beverly traveled extensively during their life together. He instilled in his children his love for travel, languages and exploring different cultures.

Ronald is survived by his son Drew Engles (Laura), daughter Kerry Blanchard, grandsons Jake and Tyler Blanchard, Matthew Engles, granddaughter Catherine Engles and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, from 10:00-11:30AM at Beck Funeral Home, 15709 Ranch Road 620, Austin, TX 78717 followed by a graveside service at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX at 2:00PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Honor Flight Network or Catholic Charities.

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Published by Staten Island Advance from Aug. 21 to Aug. 25, 2024.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/ronald-engles-obituary?pid=207603869