Obituary of Ronald Joseph Connelly

CONNELLY, Ronald (Ron) Joseph died peacefully at Bluewater Health, Sarnia, on Friday, October 25, 2024, at age 88.

Ron had a deep interest in and passion for building design. He studied architecture at Northern College of Applied Arts and began his career as a draftsman at Ontario Northland Railway, where he worked until the 1980s.

As an avid lover of architecture, Ron always had a drafting board at home, and he enjoyed teaching his children how to trace and create building plans. In his travels, he loved photographing buildings and incorporating features into his designs. While still working for the ONR, he founded his own contracting business and built many modern homes and buildings and renovated others for his growing rental portfolio in the North Bay area. His designs were considered ahead of their time, uniquely built and functional.

Ron cherished family life by the lake, where he built beautiful homes on the water. He wasn’t fond of flying, so our summer vacations were either spent enjoying the lake or embarking on long, winding road trips, stopping to snap photos of intriguing architecture. We have many memories of those unique family trips—one to Florida when we arrived just in time to watch the Apollo rocket ship roar into the sky and another to Alberta's Lake Louise to marvel at the emerald-green waters.

Work was always a joy for him. Ron spent countless hours, day and night, on building sites with his elder children, teaching them the basics of the trades, emphasizing quality, and treating the workers with respect.

Ron loved Christmas with his family; it was chaotic and fun all at once. He also welcomed his tradespeople, who stopped by with wine and food to celebrate Christmas. St. Patrick's Day was a favourite, too, and he always participated in the holiday, boasting about the Connelly heritage.

Fall was one of his favourite times of the year. He would take the family out to the colourful woods to hunt and target shoot, teaching his children how to use guns safely and accurately. He was an excellent marksman and won trophies for his shooting ability.

Early on, Ron was active in the community, serving as a member of the Ontario Provincial Police Auxiliary; he was also an active member of the Knights of Columbus and loved participating in local politics. In winter, he loved curling events and coaching his children in skating and hockey. Ron cherished his mother and spent countless hours caring for her until her passing. During this time, Ron also became an active member of the Near North Palliative Care Network.

In his retirement, Ron restored a home on Lake Nipissing and spent countless hours looking out at the lake and beautiful sunsets, enjoying every minute of his later years by the water. Ron also avidly loved Elvis's music and the TV series Suits. Even in his final days and hours, he enjoyed listening to his beloved Elvis.

Ronald is survived by his children Richard (Liz), Randy (Laura), Shawn (Sandra), Stephen (Faisal), Caroline, and Tracy (Mark), and grandchildren Jasmine, Bradley, and Brayden. He is also survived by his first wife, Carol Connelly, the mother of his children, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Clarence and Doris Connelly, and his second wife, Paulette Gallagher.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Michael’s Church, Bright’s Grove, on Thursday, October 31st, at 10 a.m. In place of flowers, memorial donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be appreciated.

Messages of condolence and memories may be shared at www.mckenzieblundy.com