Jan A. Ronk

RONK, JAN A. Jan August Ronk, 82, passed away Saturday, June 12, 2004. Services will be at 1p.m. Wednesday, June 16 at Waco Memorial Mausoleum Chapel with Dr. Paul Stripling officiating. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 15 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Mr. Ronk was born in Tampico, Mexico January 11, 1922, son of Dirk and Constance Ronk. After living in Holland and Belgium as a youngster, he immigrated to the United States in 1928 with his parents and sister. He attended the public schools of Long Island, New York, and after the family moved to Waco in 1938, graduated from Waco High School in 1939. He worked his way through Baylor University and graduated in 1943. While at Baylor, he was a member of the varsity fencing team which won the Southwest Conference Championship in 1941. In both 1942 and 1943, he was individual sabre champion of the Southwest Conference and conference runner-up in individual foil competition. He was also instructor and fencing coach during his junior and senior years at Baylor. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, serving from 1943 to 1946, with 20 months overseas, and ending his active duty as Commanding Officer of the 45th Marine Depot Company. He served as Commanding Officer of the Waco Marine Corps Reserve Unit from 1957 to 1960, during which time the unit received a Letter of Commendation for excellence in anti-aircraft gunnery from the Commanding General of the Marine Base, 29 Palms, California. He received honorary retirement as a captain in the Marine Corps Reserve on Dec. 1, 1961. Mr. Ronk married Dona G. Reedy of Waco on February 9, 1945. He was employed as a state service officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the Waco VA Regional Office from 1946 to 1959, and as chief accident and health underwriter for American Income Life Insurance Company for two years thereafter. He then worked for the Waco VA Regional Office for twenty years, retiring in 1982 after serving as Chief of Property Management for ten years. After 53 years of marriage, Mr. Ronk's beloved wife Dona passed away. He later renewed acquaintance with a longtime family friend, Ann Norman of Arlington, and Jan and Ann married in 1999. He was a life member of VFW Post 2148, past commander of VFW District 14 of Texas, president for two years and board member for 18 years of the Waco VA Regional Office Federal Credit Union, member of the Baylor B Association, life member of the Baylor Alumni Association, member of Baylor Heritage Club, member of the Parents Association of Mexia State School, and a member of First Baptist Church of Waco for more than 60 years. Mr. Ronk's life underscored duty and loyalty to country and friends, and love and devotion to family. He was preceded in death by his parents, by his first wife Dona, and by his sister Marie St. John. He is survived by his loving wife Ann; his elder son Donald W. Rusty Ronk of Mexia; and his younger son Dirk A. Ronk and wife June Robinson-Ronk of San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to Mexia State School Volunteer Council, Inc., P.O. Box 1132, Mexia, TX 76667. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our Memorial Guestbook at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY