Ronald Eugene Roach

Ronald Eugene Roach was born on August 18, 1947 in Kansas City, Missouri to Eva A. and Willie F. Roach. Two more boys, Mike and Ken were born in successive years. Ron had instant playmates which came in handy when Eva and the boys returned to her birthplace, a ranch in the Sisquoc area of California following her divorce. The boys never saw their father again. Ronnie loved growing up on the ranch with his mother’s parents, John and Anna Roberts.

When Ron was 9 years old, his mother married Henry J. Crump. In the next few years, 3 more children were born, Steven, Cheryl, and Janice. It was during this time that the family moved from the ranch to the city, Santa Maria. Ron went to El Camino Junior High and Santa Maria High School graduating in 1965. He continued his education at Allan Hancock Jr. College where he earned an A.A. degree.

Ron worked a variety of odd jobs around Santa Maria during his teen years. In 1967, he began working for The Coca Cola Bottling Company of Santa Maria as a night loader. Over the next 26 years, he worked production, route sales, route supervisor, and warehouse supervisor. A transfer with Coca Cola moved the family in 1992 to Aurora, Colorado where Ron lived the rest of his life.

It was also in 1967 that he married Pamela Simar and had his first daughter, Cynthia. The marriage did not last but Ron retained custody of Cindy. In 1976, he married Colleen Carson. During the next six years, they had Ryan, Eric, Amber, and Veronica.

Though Ron was very athletic, his only high school sport was bowling. As an adult he played recreational men’s fast-pitch softball, often with his brothers, and recreational slo-pitch softball. It was while playing softball that he found his true vocation. He had a disagreement with a call by an umpire. The umpire challenged him, “If you think you can do this any better…” and Ron took the challenge and began umpiring. Starting with Little League, his resume quickly included fast-pitch softball, football, and basketball stretching from local games to national tournaments.

In 1984, Ron was converted and baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In 1989, the family was sealed in The Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints for time and all eternity. His favorite service in the church was working with children.

Ron passed away surrounded by his family and friends on May 19, 2024 at the age of 76 in the Medical Center of Aurora Hospital after an eight month fight with kidney cancer. He was preceded in death by his mother and step-father, brother Steven, sister Janice, and daughter Cynthia. He is succeeded by his brothers Mike and Ken, sister Cheryl, wife of 48 years, Colleen, sons Ryan and Eric (Taryn) Roach, daughters Amber (Shawn) Green, and Veronica (Jake) Lehman, 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Ron will be remembered for his sense of humor, loyal friendship, exact knowledge of rulebooks, having fun, love of family, eating ice cream, outstanding bar-b-ques and being "a good man".

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Wounded Warriors Project.

The service will be livestreamed. Click Here to view the service through Zoom. Telephone:
+1 719 359 4580 and Webinar ID: 999 8465 6146.