Ronald Ernest Meinheit

While looking over the cards dealt to him for a game he had played many times before, Ronald (Ron) Ernest Meinheit would usually claim he didn’t remember how to play.

His son, Andrew Meinheit, said, “Dad would look really closely at his cards, exclaim about how he couldn’t possibly win this, then the next round he would complete the phase, by pulling all the cards out, in a random order from all over his hand. Or he would rack up this high score in Farkle, then just insist he had to roll the dice one more time while we all laughed and questioned him and he would lose it all in a glorious fashion.”

Ron would pepper every game with intense and exaggerated reactions to gameplay, commentary about what the cards or dice were telling him, and gambles for just one more shake of the cup or card swap that while often left him losing his score, he would also occasionally come roaring back. If Ron's real goal was to prolong the game or to add in drama, he won every time.

Ron passed on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at age 76.

He was born February 2, 1949, in Belvidere, Illinois, to Ernest and Hilda Meinheit, the oldest of two sons.

Ron grew up living and working on 80 acres of farmland, in the house built by his father. His brother, Dave Meinheit, recalls that their mother always kept them very busy.

When family friends came to visit the family farm one summer, as Ron always told the story, he and Dave stood on top of a chicken coop, and only Dave threw corn cobs at the preteen girls who were among those visiting, one of whom was his future wife Priscilla (née Doster) Meinheit.

Ron also kept himself quite busy. Lifelong best friend and cousin, Melvin Johnson, said that Ron often helped out on Mel’s family farm, whether it was planting or harvesting season, or milking their dairy cows during the cold months of winter. And Ron would normally, conveniently, be around in time for dinner, as he was a big fan of Mel’s mom’s cooking. For several summers, Ron and Mel worked together at the Rockford Dragway. They would carefully inspect the street cars entering the races to put them in the correct classes. And after, they were able to watch the races, some 200 cars every Sunday, April through September.

“He was like a brother to me, just like having another brother. He was always there to help out,” said Mel.

Ron completed his bachelor’s of science in Agricultural Engineering with a minor in Geology at the University of Western Illinois and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force in February of 1972. He attended flight school to become a pilot and navigator for the B-52 Bomber and C-130. During his time in active service, he flew many combat missions in the Vietnam War. He also participated in several reconnaissance missions in Russian airspace. He served honorably until 1979, separating as a Captain and receiving his promotion to Major shortly thereafter.

Ron and Priscilla were married in Kansas City, MO, on September 6, 1974, and that month, Priscilla joined Ron at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan.

They adopted their first cat together, Samson, that summer in 1975. He was their adventure cat, and he went everywhere with them. During a trip from a temporary duty station in California back to K.I. Sawyer, the trio stopped to stay with Mel, so Mel could meet Priscilla and so they both could meet Mel’s wife, Lita Johnson. Lita laughingly recalled their first meeting, “Ron was obviously familiar with the house. He walked in, threw the cat into the basement, then turned to me and said ‘Hi, how are you?”

Ron always had cats, though he claimed the barn cats he had growing up never came into the house. Photos carefully labeled in his mother’s albums proved otherwise. Dave recalled their father hadn’t liked cats, so they only came inside when Ernest wasn’t home. But occasionally, a cat might “accidentally” stay all night in their room.

After Ron separated from the Air Force, he and Priscilla moved to Independence, buying their home together in April of 1981, a home they always shared, along with their two children, Annette and Andrew, and many more cats through the years. The family of four took many trips to visit family in Illinois. They often celebrated Independence Day at the Johnson Farm. Ron and Mel would normally be found that night, heads together, laughing, tying together fuses to create elaborate fireworks displays.

They also loved to attend and volunteer at the Boone County Fair, and helped with a doughnut stand benefiting the Volunteer Fire Department where Mel was chief. Ron would normally man the fryer, Mel the dough, Priscilla and Lita would run the orders and register, while the kids would decorate. It was a working vacation, which is not surprising for a man who liked to stay busy, but a lot of fun.

Ron was committed to providing for his family and took pride in his ability to do so. He did not consider it a burden; rather, he approached it with the same tenacity and dedication that characterized his military service.

Ron had a career as a printer and copier technician, before retiring in 2013. And after he continued to keep himself busy in retirement, he worked in his garden, often worked on friends and family’s vehicles, and was eager to help his son and daughter-in-law on projects in their home, like renovating their kitchen.

Ron served as the steadfast pillar of the family—reserved yet dependable, consistently present as a source of support. He warmly welcomed his daughter-in-law, Stephanie, when she married Andrew, and gladly stepped into the fatherly role she had been missing, both at the wedding and in their daily lives. He would often diagnose Annette’s car problems over the phone, listening to her describe the issue and telling her how to fix it, or fixing it himself whenever she was visiting next. He was there to support Priscilla as she battled cancer, remaining steadfastly by her side until her passing.

Ron and Priscilla spent time traveling, like visiting Ron’s brother in Oregon, Pearl Harbor, and Oahu island of Hawaii. They also made many trips to Branson and Silver Dollar City, and at least twice a year to visit family in Belvidere, IL.

Dave said that growing up, Ron “was the big brother. I looked up to him, mimicked him. He was a lot more serious than me.” But that Ron became sillier as he got older, and while dramatically telling big, long stories, Priscilla would turn to the audience, pointing out when there were embellishments.

“Dad never wanted to be the center of attention, but the stories he told, his way with words, the way he told them, the way he related to people, he would end up the main character. He was the best storyteller,” said Annette.

-Written by Stephanie Meinheit

Ron is survived by his two children, daughter Annette Meinheit of Middleburg, Virginia, son Andrew Meinheit and his wife Stephanie, of Lee’s Summit; three cats, Pumbaa, Puffin, and Greyson; and brother Dave Meinheit and his wife Kara, of Eugene, Oregon; five grand-cats and one grand-dog.

His wife, Priscilla Meinheit, died earlier, in October 2023.

The visitation will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 East 39th St. S, Independence, MO 64055. Pastor John Crane will officiate the memorial service at 10 a.m., and inurnment will follow at 1818 N River Blvd, Independence, MO 64050.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks those who wish to donate to the Veterans Community Project. https://www.veteranscommunityproject.org/give-1.