Ron Neal (Waldron)

Ronald Neal (Waldron)
Ron came into this world on August 12, 1949, born to parents Robert and Veryl (Simpson) Neal. He ascended to receive the glory due to him on October 7, 2024, with his wife Nancy by his side. A Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway, Oregon.  Friends are invited to join the family for a reception to be held immediately following at the Halfway Lions Hall.

His Irish twin, Carol, joined the family in July, 1950. At a young age, his parents divorced and Ron and Carol lived with their grandparents. Since his ancestors were enrolled members of the Spokane Tribe, they spent many happy hours camping, fishing and having fun on the tribal reservation near Two Rivers. They especially enjoyed going to Pow Wows with Grandma Ella.

When their mother married Billy Waldron in 1960, Ron and Carol moved to Halfway, Oregon. Ron thought he had found Heaven. It was a young boy’s dream come true to be a cowboy, fish, ride horses, roam the hillsides, always accompan ied by a dog, cousins, and friends. He attended middle school there. The family moved to Los Banos, CA when Billy was transferred with Morrison Knudsen. Ron graduated from high school there in 1967, in the midst of the Vietnam war. Rather than wait for their draft numbers to be drawn, Ron and his best friend, Bill Zimmerman, enlisted in the Navy. That summer, to celebrate, they spent a few days in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury district at the height of the flower child era. A memorable experience! Ron left for boot camp on Christmas Day, 1967. He served on two air craft carriers, USS Ticonderoga and USS Shangri-La, doing two tours of Vietnam. Shortly after his discharge from the Navy, he returned to Spokane and attended Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College. He met Barbara (Bobbie) Brown and they were married for a brief time. Following their divorce, Ron left college and moved to Idaho Falls, ID. He worked as a union laborer for four years. When work was done on the dam there, he went on the road for a few years to play music.

When Ron returned to Spokane, he utilized the GI bill and enrolled at Eastern Washington University.While playing music six nights a week at The Stockyards Inn and attending college full time, he married Mary Curtain in 1978 and became a step-father to four children.

Ron graduated from EWU in 1981 with a BA and Master’s degrees in Speech and Language Pathology. His chosen field as working in education rather than a clinical path. His first job was in Council, ID, so the family moved to Halfway. Ron commuted for two years, and Mary had a daycare in their home.Mary and Ron divorced in 1983.

Ron stayed in Halfway, working and playing music. He and Becky Brown married in 1986. Their family was complete when they welcomed two children, Megan and Billy. Sadly, they divorced in 1996, and following a long illness, Becky passed away in 2002.

In 1998, Ron met Nancy Harris of Spokane, WA. They married in 2003, making their home in Halfway until 2008. When they returned to Spokane, they purchased a house with property. He always had a project or two going on, most often writing and recording music videos, yet he would drop everything to help family, friends and even a stranger who needed a hand. Beside music, his greatest love was for his family, friends and his beloved dogs. Ron enjoyed hosting music jams, holidays, parties, dinners – especially BBQs. Having people over to enjoy the pool in the summer was one of his greatest pleasures. He also liked to boat, fish, and buy and sell everything from antique maps to automobiles. Between 1997 and 2010 he worked for the Wellpinit, Deer Park, Hermiston, and Baker5J School Districts.

Ron was a member of many bands in Spokane and Oregon during his lifetime, but his favorite memories are of the RV Jones Band in Halfway. The last 25 years were spent performing with his very good friend, Mingo Davila, in Spokane. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Halfway, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Preceding him in death were his parents, Robert Neal, Billy Waldron, and Veryl Waldron; and sister Carol Olson.

Loved ones surviving him are wife, Nancy Harris; children Megan Neal and Billy (Charisse) Neal, all of Spokane; grandchildren Easton Letchworth, Kendal Brumet, Della Neal; stepson Jamie (Libby) Brumet, Post Falls; and stepdaughter McKenzie Brumet, Pullman. Cousins who were raised with Ron and Carol are Rick (Audrene) Simpson; Brian Simpson; Christine Bennett, Jenny (Roger) Gulick, all of Halfway.

A Celebration of Ron’s Life will be on Friday, October 18, 2:30PM, at the Eagles (FOE#2) North, 6410 N Lidgerwood St, Spokane. Interment of ashes and military honors will be held in Halfway in mid-2025, followed by another Celebration. Ron’s wishes were for any charitable donations to be made to the Pine Eagle Education Foundation (PEEF) PO Box 411, Halfway, OR 97834, your preferred animal shelter, or an organization that assists with addiction recovery or prevention. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com