Ronald Randolf Holt Whatley was born May 30th, 1932 at a farm house near Kelwood, MB to parents Samuel George Whatley (of London, England) and Viola Mary Leffler (of Essex, Ontario).
Ronald lived the 1st four years of life with his Grandmother, after Viola went into the sanitarium shortly after Ron was born. Viola passed away just before Ron turned 9.
At the age of 10, the family moved to Winnipeg and at the age of 12 & ½ he moved himself back to Kelwood to his beloved Grandmothers.
From 1945, until he joined the army in February of 1951 at 19 years old, he worked his way across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. At the beginning of 1953, Ron was sent to Korea (the Korean war began in June 1950) and was in action for 210 days until armistice was signed July 27, 1953. After that, he stayed on for Peacekeeping duties. In all, he was stationed there for 14 months. He left Korea for home and was honorably discharged in 1954. In the mid 1950’s, he met and married a lady named Blanche Favell who had 3 sons, 2 of which (Terry & Alan) Ron helped to raise. Though the marriage did not last, the bond with the boys did. Ron considered them his own.
During the 50’s and 60’s, Ron worked in construction (heavy equipment operator) as well he re-enlisted in the army (this time in the militia) in the fall of 1958 until he was again honorably discharged in January 1962. Some of his roles while in the military include: tank driver, weapons instruction, driving instruction, drill instruction among others.
Through those years he lived and worked in many places including: Baffin Island, Tuktouktuk, King George Island, Petawawa (ON), Camp Borden(ON), Shilo (MB), Camp Utopia, & Korea.
1970, in Calgary, AB he met Dorothy Peters, and in 1971 they married. Of Dorothy’s four children, Ron raised the youngest, Donna. Later that same year, Sheila was born followed by Roni in 1975. At this time they were living in Jenpeg, MB where Ron worked for Jenpeg Construction until the generating station was complete (1973 -‘79), where he then was hired on with MB Hydro, and spent the next 13 years working for them.
In 1980, the town of Jenpeg shut down so Ron & family moved to Wabowden, with Ron commuting to work each week. In 1981, Ron, Dorothy and a family friend bought a gas station which became Dot’s Gas Bar. As well as working for MB Hydro, he helped run the gas bar with Dorothy as well as working other jobs when time allowed. Ron had always been a hard worker all his life.
In 1988/89 Ron retired from MB Hydro, at the end of 1998 the couple decided to sell the gas bar and retire. They moved back to Alberta to be closer to their kids and grand kids. Ron soon got bored and went back to work. He worked night security at Adessa Auctions for three years.
Then really retiring, he and Dorothy moved to Charlie Lake, BC (into “God’s Country”) because of family. After four years they moved to Blackie, AB for 2 years and from there to Hudson Bay in 2009 where he stayed until he passed.
Ron was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion (ordinary member, many branches)
Ron enjoyed running heavy equipment machinery. In his spare time, Ron could be found: reading, spending time with family and friends, fishing, camping, hunting, gardening, or anything outdoor.
Ron was predeceased by his parents; brother Renald Whatley; sisters Edris Griffith, and Ruby Sidorko; and son Alan Favell (passed January 2016)
Left to cherish Ron’s Memory is his wife Dorothy Whatley; sister Ruth Weatherbee; Sons Terry Favell (Chris); daughters Donna Schuler (Lloyd), Sheila Garvin (Trevor), Roni McInnes (Kevin); Dorothy’s children: son Stanley Peters (missing), daughters Sharon Dannewald (Gary), Sandra Bishop (Dennis), along with numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren & many friends.