Ronald Arthur Albaugh, 88, passed away surrounded by family at Walnut Ridge Retirement Community on June 9, 2022. Ronald was born on February 26, 1934 to his parents Arthur H. and Dorothy E. Albaugh in rural Mechanicsville, Iowa. He graduated from Mechanicsville High School in 1952.
He met his lifelong sweetheart – Nancy Jo Curtis – in elementary school. They married November 6, 1955. Ron and Nancy had over 40 years together married and a lifetime of memories from their early childhood until Nancy’s passing in 1997. In December 1955, Ron was drafted and reported to Camp Chaffee in Arkansas for Army basic training. He was sent to Korea and served as an Artillery Crewman. Ron returned to the United States in August of 1957 where he finished his enlistment with the US Army Reserves. He was honorably discharged in 1961 as a Staff Sergeant with the accomplishments of the Good Conduct Medal and Army Overseas Service Ribbon.
Ron was a well-known, life-long resident of Mechanicsville. He grew into adulthood sooner than most after losing his father at the age of 16. Dorothy made sure that Ron finished high school. He knew the county gravel and dirt roads like the back of his hands, foraging for things like wild asparagus, mushrooms, hickory nuts, and berries. His garden was massive growing everything from parsnips to popcorn. Ron hunted deer, pheasants, and turkeys. He enjoyed fishing with his son-in-law, Brian in the north woods of Minnesota. He worked for 36 years for Lincoln Community and later North Cedar school districts. He served almost 30 years with the local Fire Department, was scoutmaster for Boys Scouts, board member for Pioneer Terrace, and spent his whole life as a member of the Mechanicsville First Presbyterian Church.
He loved to travel and be outdoors. His love of cycling landed him in RAGBRAI for roughly 10 years. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling with his children and their families and was able to visit Hawaii, Alaska, Germany, and France to name a few.
Left to cherish Ron’s memory are his son David (Sara) and their daughter Anna; son Doug (Margaret) and their children Julia (Shawn) and Evan; daughter Anne (Brian) and their children Sarah and Holly; brother Keith’s sons, Gary, Greg and Brad; and brother Wallace (Trudy) and their children Christine, James and Amanda. Ron rejoins his wife Nancy Jo, parents and brother Keith.
On June 15th, 2022, a memorial service in honor of Ron’s life will be held at 1:00PM at the First Presbyterian Church, 309 West 1st Street, Mechanicsville, IA 52306. Ron will be laid to rest next to his love, Nancy Jo, at Rose Hill Cemetery with a Military Honor Guard ceremony.
Memorials can be made in Ron’s honor to the First Presbyterian Church.