Once upon a time, there lived a boy named Ron. He and his family lived in and worked on a beautiful 10-acre orange grove. One day, a man named Walt Disney looked over the farm and liked it for something special his company was building. Disney bought the property and that’s where they built Disneyland.
Ron had a special request of Walt: that his favorite tree be preserved. It’s part of the entrance building for Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise. When Disneyland opened, Ron worked there as a ticket-taker. The family home stood backstage, where it had been moved, until it was time to make room for Galaxy’s Edge.
He was a quick learner and his managers were always happy to work with him, and soon a summer job turned into a permanent one, and he was able to work every attraction in the park.
He climbed the Disney ladder, from Supervisor to Manager to Director of Operations, Vice President of Disneyland and Chairman of Park Ops to Executive Vice President, Walt Disney Attractions, West Coast.
He was humble and kind alongside his talents. I liked him very much from the few times we talked. Ron retired from Disney in 1994, and was honored as a Disney Legend in 2000.
Ron sadly passed away today, January 1st, 2021, at the age of 85. But he will not soon be forgotten.
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