Ronald Kingery

Ronald "Ron" Kingery, a former resident of Belvidere, IL, passed peacefully on Monday, April 17, 2023, in Wisconsin, at the age of 87. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harmon and Ona (Steen) Kingery, his younger brothers Kinney Lee and Raymond Kingery, and his older sisters Ruth (Kingery) Harris and Runell (Kingery) Harris. Ron was a loving husband to Beverly (Baumer) Kingery for 64 years, and he was a devoted father to Michele (Kingery) Niermann and Lisa Kingery, and their husbands, Kurt Niermann and Manoj Raghavan. Ron was also the proud grandpa of Mikaela and Katie Niermann and Gwena and Juli Raghavan. He will be dearly missed by all of them, as well as by his sister Jane (Kingery) Lindbloom, his best friend and brother Robert "Bob" Kingery, his sister-in-law Nancy (Baumer) Kingery, his brother-in-law Larry Baumer and his wife Angie, his sister-in-law Sally Kramer and her husband Bob along with many friends and relatives. Ron was born in Gamaliel, KY, on July 31, 1935. The family moved from their farm in Kentucky to Tuscola, IL, when Ron was 6 to continue farming. Ron attended Tuscola Community High School, where teachers commended him on his strong work ethic, and he was a member of the school's wrestling team and the Future Farmers of America. After graduating in 1955, Ron enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in Korea. He worked as a field artillery repairman receiving the Sharpshooter and Marksman Badges, and the Good Conduct Medal. While in the Army, he met his wife, Bev. Bev's cousin, who lived in Tuscola and knew Ron well, thought that he could use some cheering up while in the Army. She asked that she write Ron a letter. Fate brought them together as pen pals. We do not know what was in those letters, but on Ron's first leave after returning to the States, he took a train to meet his future wife for the first time in person; he proposed within a week. After completing his military service, he married Bev on September 20, 1958, and they settled in her hometown of Belvidere, IL, where he worked for 35 years at the Chrysler assembly plant, and they raised their family. Ron loved to commune with nature. You could frequently find him in his backyard relaxing or feeding his "pet" squirrels straight from his hand. An ever-industrious man, he loved fixing and tinkering with his cars and working on DIY projects—projects which he frequently did with his brother Bob, whom he recruited to live in Belvidere by introducing him to his wife's younger sister, Nancy. Ron always carried a tool box in the back of his car. In later years when he visited his adult daughters, Bev would sit chatting with them, while Ron attended to their numerous handyman projects. Ron was kind, patient, and a true gentleman. He loved being with his grandchildren--taking them to the park, reading them a story, attending their soccer games, or fixing a toy. He had a strong moral compass and always did things the right way. His highly organized garage was the envy of many. He loved to laugh and tell jokes, true to his country roots, "Hee Haw" style. He and his laugh, will be greatly missed. A private burial service will take place in Belvidere, IL in May.