Ronald Alfano, 76, of Ada, Michigan, passed on to be with the Lord on July 7, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helene Mimnaugh Alfano; children, Kenneth (Kara) Alfano and Julie (Joseph) Barron; grandchildren, Peter Alfano, Emily Barron, and Jacob Barron; sister, Maryann (Neil) Verton; brothers- and sisters-in-law John (Betty) Mimnaugh, Kathleen (Charles) Casagrande, Peter (Mary) Mimnaugh, Patrick Mimnaugh, Bernadine (Joseph) Henshaw, Geraldine (Joseph) Tarantino, and Maureen (Gerard) Donnelly; numerous nieces and nephews, and their children; close friends Conrad and Joan Swanson, and Harold and Beverly Bailey; and many other dear friends.
Ron was born on February 14, 1949, in Queens, New York, as the second child of Annielo and Mary Alfano. Ron’s older brother, Henry, passed when they were young men. As a boy, Ron lived in Elmont, NY, and served as an altar boy for Father Scala at St. Vincent DePaul Church. Ron loved baseball, especially the Brooklyn Dodgers (at age 2, he was known to frequently recite their lineup). After high school, Ron studied English and Education at Hofstra University, where he also played baseball. He served in the Army National Guard while working as a teacher and a federal employee in the 1970s. Ron was also a skilled entrepreneur, running and growing an ice cream stand, Cone World, through the 1980s. He then proceeded to a range of sales, retail management, and self-employment roles, including an expedited-freight business.
Beyond his lifelong passion for baseball, Ron’s other passions included restoring antique and classic cars, enjoying classic movies and music, playing and watching golf, and following politics. Ron took great joy in being a grandfather, and after retirement, he enjoyed having more time for going to lunch with his friends. He is greatly loved by many, who now look forward to being reunited with him in the future.
Family will greet friends and relatives from 5-8pm on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Funeral Home, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, with a Rosary at 7:30pm. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11am on Friday, July 18, 2025, at St. Robert of Newminster Catholic Church, 6477 Ada Drive SE, Ada, Michigan 49301. Interment Resurrection Catholic Cemetery.
Those interested in making donations in Ron’s memory are invited to consider Folds of Honor, Department 13, Tulsa, OK 74182 or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
5 Responses
RIP Sir, while I personally didn’t know you, your daughter Julie spoke highly about you, and your zest for life and hobbies, as well as her concern for your health, and how much she wished for things to be better for you! You’re at peace now, and I hope your family will find peace soon! May God Rest Your Soul!
You lived a full and prosperous life!
I worked with Ron (I was in the offices, he was at a showroom) and was always impressed with his calm demeanor- any one who works with the public knows that’s sometimes not so easy- and his straight forward approach. I was frankly surprised when he retired because I thought he was so much younger! His joy showed through
He and his family are in my prayers
I only worked with Ron a couple years at Jonathan Stevens, but he was such a nice man and I will miss him. He called me “toots” which I thought was hilarious. We had a work outing together after a sales workshop at Dave and Busters in Grand Rapids which has food and interactive video games as entertainment. He seemed a little out of sorts in the arcade so I went and got him and we played skee-ball. LOL! I’ll never forget his no nonsense demeanor and quick whit with the NY accent. He called my store a while ago just to say hello and I’m glad that I got a chance to chat with him. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Heaven gained a beautiful soul and we are all better people for having known him. Blessings and prayers.
Golfed with Ron many times , we had great conversations about old westerns , the Brooklyn dodgers, and of course golf. Ron and I met at Jonathan Stevens and hit it off right from the start. A true gentleman who loved his family and was so proud of his grandchildren. Ron you will be greatly missed.
I had the pleasure of spending multiple years working side by side with Ron at Jonathan Stevens. He was much more than a coworker to me, he was a mentor and had a prolific effect on my career. His love for the Dodgers and Notre Dame football was only outmatched by his love and pride for his family. My single favorite memory with Ron is when we used the google earth street view to go to his fathers barbershop in New York. You could see a million emotions go through him and it was a true display of how much a kind and caring man he was. Thank you Ron, you will be missed.