Dr. Ronald L. Schuen

Age 79, died early Thursday morning at his home. Ron was born in Detroit, MI, on August 10, 1941, the son of Frederick and Katherine (Riffelmacher) Scheuenstuhl.  On July 8, 1989, he married Kathy Dowdy who survives him.  Besides his wife he is survived by his children Pam Schuen of Kalamazoo, David (Dawn) Schuen of Rives Junction, MI, Matthew (Marlen) Schuen of Mansfield, TX, Daniel Frederick Schuen of Portage; 8 grandchildren; brother and best friend Norman (Elfie) Schuen; several nieces, nephews and cousins; countless good friends and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Marvin Schuen; and a former wife.

Now that we’ve got the official death thing out of the way, here are the things Ron would like us to remember:  On May 13, 2021 Ron Schuen was promoted to glory!  He’d prefer the corner office with a wide view of the sky, because in addition to practicing medicine he was an accomplished aviator. He could fly anything except gas-filled dirigibles which was on his to-do list.  It was one of the very few things he didn’t accomplish in a life filled with accomplishments.

As a young physician trained by the Mayo Clinic, Ron had planned to join the Air Force.  He gained a commission but a physical examination detected early Multiple Sclerosis, so that dream went unrealized.  Ron lived with MS for over 50 years, co-existing with it amicably enough until Parkinson’s disease took his life.  He also realized his dream of becoming a certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic, working in a local shop to hone his skills.

Ron was a member of a select aviation organization known as the Quiet Birdmen, and he was extremely proud of that.  He considered his fellow QBs to be some of the finest men around and did not miss a meeting until he became too ill to attend. His wife always wondered what the salutation “Burro” meant but was unable to coax the secret from him.  That will have to wait until they are together again.

Ron was a serious enologist, who had owned a vineyard and bottled his own wine.  When he married Kathy, he stored his left-over wine in his new mother-in-law’s basement.  She was a teetotaling Baptist and Ron a wine-loving Lutheran but somehow they made it work because they loved each other dearly.

He was very proud when his wife Kathy was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ, and Ron found a home in the church she pastored. He especially liked the attentiveness of the church ladies, who plied him with goodies.

Throughout their marriage Ron and Kathy laughed, cried, parented their children, fought and made up. They were together as Ron’s life drew to a close. To the end of his days, Kathy thought he was the most handsome man she ever saw.  They loved each other as well as they knew how, and Kathy misses him terribly. They were soulmates. His courage in the face of his suffering amazed, awed and inspired her. He truly fought the good fight, kept the faith and finished the race with honor.