Ronald L. Gatz

Ronald L. Gatz. Age 76 of Park Ridge. Beloved husband of Karen. Loving father of Jim (Stacy), Tom (Lisa), Don (Melissa), Tim (Jennifer) and Kristi (Bill) Przybylski. Devoted grandfather of Garrett, Brent, Amanda, Maggie, Sydney, McKenzie, Cooper, Jake, Joey, Taylor, Madison, Reagan, Will, Owen and Emily. Dear brother of the late Larry (Karen). Godfather to Katie Joyce. Visitation Thursday, 3-9 p.m. at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home, 120 S. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge. Funeral Friday, 9:30 a.m. prayers from funeral home to St. Paul of the Cross Church. Mass 10 a.m. Interment will be private. Memorials to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org, are appreciated.  

Ronald Gatz born November 11th 1943 to Robert and Katherine Gatz and lived at 2854 N. McVicker Ave. Chicago.  He attended St. Ferdinand grammar school and went to St. Patrick High School, class of 1961. 

Ron met Karen in 1961 on Powers Lake while water skiing and got engaged soon after on Valentine’s Day, 1962.  They married on June 20th, 1964 at St. Ferdinand church.  They have been married for 55 years.  They rented their first apartment in Elwood Park were they had their first child, Jim in 1965.  Two years later they bought their first house at 2854 N. Osage in Chicago where they had three more boys, Tom, Don and Tim. They lived on Osage for 7 years and moved to  Park Ridge in 1974 where they had their fifth child, Kristi and where Karen still resides.

Ron worked at Roto Print from age 17-18 and then took a job as a tool and die maker at White Cap at age 18 and worked there for 40 years.  At age 59 he started working at the Jewish Theological College in Skokie as a Maintenance Engineer and worked there for 16 years until he fell ill and retired.

Ron was a great athlete and enjoyed playing sixteen inch softball, bowling and golf. He always supported his grandkids and enjoyed going to all of their games, dance competitions and recitals and many other activities and events they were involved in. He loved them with all his heart. He was an amazing husband, father and grandfather. He had many wonderful friends and family and will truly be missed, but will always be with us in spirit, never to be forgotten.

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