Ronald H. 'Capt. Ron' Sattler
Those who loved him, those who sailed with him in times of great joy and stood beside him in times of hard labor, called him ``Captain Ron."
And now it is our time to hoist the flags for him.
Ron Sattler, 69, passed away on Monday morning, Feb. 26, surrounded by family members after his unrelenting battle against cancer. For those who could not be there with his loving wife and children, we lifted him up in our fondest memories, like a ship's mainsail, and shall not take it down.
He was a man of many talents, passions and undertakings, not the least of which was his love of the sea and our country's beautiful inland lakes.
Ron seemed to have an inner attraction to the sea, like the ancient Greek philosophers lured by its vast challenges and adventures. And it was there that he and his wife, Jeannie, spent their happiest years on his 36-foot catamaran, Cattitude, sailing the Caribbean from Florida to Trinidad and back again as we turned into the 2000's.
Someone once asked Ron why he had seven boats, and he replied: ``Because I sold one!"
Years ago, he survived a lightning strike and sailboat sinking on Lake Erie--and spent over eight hours in the water before making it to shore.
Laughter, tenacity and ingenuity were his hallmarks.
Born in Akron on April 21, 1937, he was one of two children of Walter and Louise Sattler, who preceded him in death. His father worked at Goodyear for his entire career, retiring in the 1970s. And just like him, Ron had an uncanny ability to work wonders with his hands.
A 1955 graduate of Hower Trade School in Akron, he embarked on his first course in life as a journeyman tool and die maker. Then it was on to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and early jobs with R. H. Freitag in Akron, B & W Boiler in Barberton and Industrial Aircraft in Akron.
Striking out on his own, Ron was the founder of Sattler Machine Products Inc., in Sharon Center, formerly Precision Die and Stamping of Copley.
Ask those who knew him there, and they will tell you that he could craft a spare part from scratch.
Ask those who played golf with him on the area's public courses, and they will tell you he was the ideal partner in a scramble because of his cool head and fine touch on the greens.
But Ron's life was never a self-centered one. He gave of himself, plentifully, to others.
For 20 years from the late 1950's, he served the public as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, rising to the rank of lieutenant with the Copley Fire Department. It was Ron who organized the department's first Reverse Raffle Fundraiser, still in existence.
One of his prized possessions--an enduring symbol of his strength and courage--was his firefighter's helmet.
In 1974, he helped save the old railroad depot in Copley and contributed to the birth of the Copley Historical Society.
In 1989, Ron and three fellow Copley Township businessmen joined forces to create Sharon Corporate Park on state Route 94, just south of the Sharon Center Circle.
As a longtime member and past president of the Akron chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, he brought the organization's National Apprentice Contest to Norton, procuring new machinery for both the contest and the school.
The consummate patriot, Ron sailed from Cleveland to New York Harbor in 1986 for the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration.
He became a licensed captain and took great pleasure in escorting family and friends to the Cleveland Air Show and so many other unforgettable experiences, where the waves truly ran through his veins.
Captain Ron, yours was a great life lived to the fullest, and for that we want you to know we miss you and wish you Godspeed in your ultimate journey.
Ron's survivors are his wife, Jeannie (Flynn) Sattler and stepmother, Aurelia Sattler; sister, Barbara Brown; half-sisters, Karen Pascu and Pam Deal and half-brother, David E. Sattler; sons, David M. (Janet) Sattler and Jeff (Karen) Sattler; daughter, Kelly (Mark) Batchco; stepdaughter, Holly (Sohail) Boyd-Syed; stepsons, Ryan and Steven (Carrie) Boyd; and 11 grandchildren, Nicole, Katie, Joe, Bobby and Jennifer Sattler; Tyler and Travis Penrose; Asad and Amara Syed; and Dean and Carman Boyd.
Calling hours are TODAY from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 44 University Ave., downtown Akron, followed by a memorial service at the church with the Copley Fire Department Honor Guard assisting.
Afterward, the family will receive friends at the Walterville Barn, 1351 S. Cleveland-Massillon Rd. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Hospice of Visiting Nurse Services, 3358 Ridgewood Rd., Fairlawn, Ohio 44333; or to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, 39 S. Miller Rd., Fairlawn, Ohio 44333.
[Akron Beacon Journal, published online at Ohio.com Wednesday, February 28, 2007]
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