Obituary of Ronald D. Winthers

Ron was born on May 16, 1942, to Dorothy and Nathaniel Winthers of Lawnside, NJ. He was later raised by Marion Still who gave him much love, care, and spiritual guidance. She was a loving mother and spirit-filled Mount Zion United Methodist Church Deaconess. Ron became an active member of the church at the age of 7 and remained a member for more than 73 years. He and his sister Christine often sang duets in church during their youth. Ron attended elementary school in Lawnside, NJ. During his boyhood, he loved being a member of Boy Scout Troop 45. His cousin Winsor Cooper was a great Scout Leader, and each year ensured the troop went camping and engaged in many scouting events.   After graduating from Lawnside Elementary School, Ron attended Haddon Heights High School. At the high school, he made many new friends and enjoyed working on school events. He started to develop a gift for promoting events and interacting well with diverse groups of people. Ron participated in Track & Field and sang and performed in talent shows with his close hometown buddies of the Sonny-Winsor Quartet (Sonny Farrell, Winsor Cooper, Rick Pernell & Ron Winthers).         A budding young man…             Ron later entered the Air Force with his best buddy Rick, on the “Buddy System”. They trained together at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Ron was then sent to Maine and finally relocated to Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. During his downtime from military duties, he continued using his singing gift by performing with a group called The Conservatives, at AFB events. He also took college courses through the University of Maine and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, studying business and finance. A loving husband, father, and builder of people…   Ron’s best friend Rick had a little sister who caught Ron’s eye very early in his life. He vowed to marry her one day, which came on August 2, 1969. So, after a lifelong friendship, they became a lifelong loving couple, raising two sons, Justin and Aaron, in Willingboro, NJ. Ron gained skills in sales, advertising, and marketing as an Account Executive for National Telephone Directory Corporation and later for Reuben H. Donnelley Corp.     He eventually decided to strike out on his own as an entrepreneur by starting R.D. Winthers Advertising and Marketing. He took on large projects such as hosting the “Jesse Jackson for President” campaign for Burlington County, which included a personal appearance and speech by Jesse Jackson. Ron also organized the Carl Lewis Olympic Celebration for Willingboro Township, which included a parade, dinner, and roast with famous guests. He also promoted various other events at different commercial locations. His work also led him to do some promotional work for the boxer, Muhammad Ali, who had relocated to Cherry Hill, NJ, and was one of Ron's most treasured sports icons. He later became a close friend of the Ali family for many years. Ron received ongoing mentoring from many of the men of Mount Zion United Methodist Church throughout his life. As an adult, he developed a strong desire to “give back to others”, since he felt that God always placed angels around him who offered him support, mentoring, and care. During his years in Willingboro Township, he became a track and field coach for the Willingboro Track Club. He also coached basketball and became a co-founder of the Willingboro Basketball Association (formerly PAL).   Ron coached many young boys and girls throughout the township, including his sons, taking them to meets and games in many states. He loved teaching them to develop a winning spirit and often helped underdog teams to become champions by teaching them proper skills, strong faith in God, and belief in themselves. Ron gave back to the township, serving as a Committeeman for the 35th Voting District, a member of the Township Communications Committee, and a campaign coordinator for various local political seats.    An elder businessman, statesman, and churchman…   In the second half of his life journey, he was led to the insurance field, where he studied and trained to become a professional agent of the New York Life Insurance Company. After earning the necessary designations through training at American College, he went on to become an award-winning Executive Agent for the company. As always, he put his whole heart and soul into the endeavor and found a way to serve people by showing them ways to secure themselves and their families. He eventually started his own insurance business and became an insurance broker for various companies. Ron continued to serve others, during his workday, as well as during much of his free time.   In 1991, Ron was recommended by a local politician to serve on the Burlington County College Board of Trustees. Observing Ron’s passion for helping others and his total dedication to doing a job well done, Ron was mentored by several seasoned trustees who held leadership roles in the county, on all aspects of building and maintaining a successful community college. Ron was excited to help others achieve a good start in life or even a second chance at life, using affordable and high-quality higher education as a foundation.   Over the next 20 years, Ron served on the board in many ways, advocating for the college on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC each year. Ron became Treasurer of the Board and later Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Burlington County College, member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Community College Trustees, and ultimately Trustee Emeritus of the renamed Rowan College at Burlington County. Ron helped with overseeing the construction of new buildings on the Pemberton campus, Mount Laurel campus, and Mount Holly college centers, including the Culinary Center and Art Center. Ron also served on and eventually became the chairman of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, which serves more than 19 community colleges. For his excellent leadership, he was honored with the establishment of the Ronald D. Winthers Community College Trustee Leadership Award, which honors trustees who make outstanding contributions to New Jersey’s community college sector. Ron’s never-ending desire to serve also led him to become a trustee on the New Jersey Public Employees’ Pension Board. He served in that capacity for several years, until his passing.   At Mount Zion United Methodist Church, Ron served in the Men’s Mentoring Ministry, the church Nomination Committee, and the Men of Mount Zion ministry, and also sang in the Gospel Choir for over 20 years. He was Chairman of the Mt. Zion Men’s Day in 2022 and was an ongoing participant in the Old Time Gospel Hour program each year. Those he dearly loved …   Ron leaves behind his wife Angela, his children Justin Winthers (wife Lindsay), and Aaron Winthers (wife Nicole), his sister Joan Cephas (William Cephas, deceased) and brother Nathaniel Winthers (wife Henrietta), 9 grandchildren: Logan, Mackenzie, Tori, Eden, Reuben, Micah, Elia, Aria, and Hope Winthers and a host of beloved nephews, nieces, other family members, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mothers, Marion Still and Dorothy Winthers, and his siblings Christine Busbee-Williams, Dorothy Jones, and Gloria Moore, all of whom we hope he is dancing with in heaven as we speak.