After a three year battle with cancer, Ronald won the victory and is walking the streets of gold. He entered into paradise on Feb. 24, 2018.
Ronald was a quiet, determined man with tremendous integrity. He was a man of his word, and always did what was right. He showed in his actions that doing what was right wasn’t something you talked or bragged about, but just doing it quietly and humbly without fanfare was expected, and that was exactly what he did and how he lived.
As a young man, he excelled in all sports: football, basketball, and baseball and was voted Best All Around by his peers in high school. He was also the captain of his basketball team.
He received a baseball scholarship and attended Paris Junior College. Ronald played on the 1959 National Junior College Championship baseball team. From this exposure, he received offers from the University of Alabama and McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA. He graduated from McNeese with a BA in Business Administration. In 1959, he married his high school sweetheart, Barbara McCollum. From this union was born a daughter and son, Kelli & Kirk. His family was the light of his life and he was an exceptionally loving and devoted father. After graduation, he served in the US Army Reserve before going to work at UARCO Business Forms. Twenty years later he went into business for himself until his retirement in 2005.
He served on the Paris City Council in the mid-70’s and was a member of First Baptist Church where he had attended with his family, since 1959.
After college, he started playing golf. His love for the game grew and the sport became a life-long passion. Ronald and Barbara enjoyed many golf trips with friends over the years. Golf also became the center of family vacations, along with spending time at the beach. Even in sickness, his love for the game and family pushed him to play one last round. The round was played in October at Paris Golf & Country Club with his son, Kirk, son-in-law, David Thrasher, and friend, Shane Greer. The men joked and laughed as he finished, exhausted, yet still smiling after striking the ball 92 times.
Ronald was born in Kermit, Texas, July 29, 1939, to William Howard Kyle and Vivian Irma Rinehart. His parents preceded him in death, along with a sister, Patsy McEwin and her husband Allen. He was also preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, Bill and Joe McCollum. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, daughter Kelli and her husband David Thrasher, son Kirk and his wife Patty, and five grandchildren, Kaleb Kyle, Mary Kathryn Kyle, Luke Kyle, Meredith Thrasher and Anna Grace Thrasher. Two sisters-in-law also survived, Wanda McCollum and Gwen McCollum Player, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Ronald chose to donate his body to the UT Southwestern Medical Center Willed Body Program for research.
Ronald was patriotic by nature. In lieu of flowers, if so inclined, please donate to Paris Kiwanis Flag Program, PO Box 895 Paris, Texas 75461, or Paris Downtown Food Pantry.
Visitation and Memorial will be Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at Fry and Gibbs Funeral Home. Visitation at 10:00, Memorial Service at 11:00. Officiating will be Dr. Tommy Turner, Pastor of First Baptist Church Paris, Texas, and nephew Bravin McCollum.
