Ron Gee

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ronald Gee, a long-time resident of Rochester Hills, Michigan, who left us on January 13, 2025 at the age of 77. Ron was the son of the late Charles and Gim Gee. He was the loving husband to the late Sonja Gee and devoted father to Steven (Annie Lee) Gee. He was a proud grandfather to Summer Gee and River Gee, and a cherished brother to the late Rose (the late Hyman) Yee, the late Raymond (Diane Kauten) Gee, and Lily (Bob Hollenshead) Gee. Family was always Ron’s top priority. He would do anything to support his family, no matter the sacrifice to himself. It was always clear how much he loved his family and how much he cherished the time spent with them. Ron’s gregarious nature, fun-loving spirit, and playful sense of humor made him a joy to be around. He had a kind and non-judgmental nature that put people at ease around him. As a good friend said, he was easy to love. Ron was known for being frugal and rarely spent anything on himself, choosing instead to live a simple life and never let anything go to waste. Despite his self-deprivation, he was generous toward others, preferring to see others enjoy themselves rather than spend on himself. Ron had several jobs before he began his career. His earliest job was as a paperboy, delivering the Detroit News on Joy road in the Northfield neighborhood. Before college, he worked in a Ford factory. During the summer while he was in college he worked with friends from school painting stripes on the highway. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he went to the University of Detroit to get an MBA. After finishing his MBA program, he started working as a social worker, where he met Sonja. He decided to go back to school after that and got a JD from the University of Detroit. After finishing his JD, he started at General Motors in the legal department. After a chance opportunity, he moved to Ameritech and worked in the yellow pages group - first as a lawyer and then as a business executive. He took his work seriously but also found ways to have fun, often playing pranks on his colleagues or joking around with them. He particularly delighted in giving his close friend Tyrone Tartt a hard time. After retiring, Ron served as a crossing guard for Rochester Hills, a position he adored and described as his favorite job, as he loved interacting with the children and their parents each day. Ron lived with a sense of freedom and adventure, which was first ignited when he took a cross-country trip with his best friend, Bob Hortop. The summer following his freshman year at Michigan, Ron, Bob and a third friend drove Ron's Corvair out to Los Angeles. They spent the first night on a beach in Malibu, but were kicked out in the morning by a park ranger. The next day they met a family who was so charmed by them that they took them into their home. For the next two weeks they made friends, met girls, and learned to surf, sail and water ski on the ocean. The friendships they made lasted a lifetime, and Ron and Bob talked about the trip every year for decades. That sense of adventure and outdoor exploration with friends kicked off a lifelong passion for Ron. Throughout his life he made frequent trips with dear friends and family to Chimney Corners, camped in the Pinery, and explored national parks. Ron had a remarkable ability to recall facts and trivia, particularly related to sports statistics. He often delighted friends and family with his extensive knowledge. He also had an incredible sense of time. You could ask him what time it was, even after waking him in the middle of the night, and he would be able to guess accurately, give or take a few minutes. A proud University of Michigan graduate, Ron could frequently be seen sporting a Michigan shirt and cheering on their teams. He was a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon and maintained lifelong friendships with his fraternity brothers. He loved all animals, often feeding apples to the deer that visited his yard and caring for his son’s pets, such as Muffy the turtle and Hammy the hamster. Above all, though, he loved the dogs in his life. He had close bonds with Tina, Muffy (the dog), El Queso Grande, and Meitaizi. He also formed close bonds with the dogs of friends, such as his long-time neighbor and friend Carol’s dog Ella and his dear friends Tim and Julia Lechtenberg’s dogs Charlie and Tucker. Ron often remarked how lucky he was, and was amazed at how things always seemed to fall his way. He felt extremely blessed by the life he lived, and felt that he reached a point in his life where each additional day was a gift to him. His favorite movie was It’s a Wonderful Life. He would often compare himself to Jimmy Stewart, reflecting that there was not a thing he would change about his life. Ron will be remembered for his kindness, humor, and love for his family. He leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and devotion.