Ronald Elbert Drumm

Ron was born on Feb. 23, 1934, in Danbury, Conn., son of Elbert and Mildred Drumm. As a child and throughout his life, he enjoyed the outdoors and creating things with his hands. He served his country in the Navy, crewing on the battleship USS New Jersey. In 1956, he married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth "Betsy" Thompson.

In Danbury, Ron built his home and established his family. There he and Betsy raised two sons, Jeffrey and Brian, and a daughter, Janine. His career in technology took him all over the world but left him unsatisfied as it offered little time to spend with his family. In 1971, he sold their Danbury home and moved them to Robbins Hill in Solon, Maine. There he managed the family business, Mountain View Cabins, while working a number of full-time jobs to make ends meet. His goal to start a campground was never realized, and the cabins were eventually sold off.

While Maine never satisfied his dream of establishing a campground, it did provide him with what he desired most: time with his wife and children. And while life was often hard, no member of his family ever felt as though they were any less than privileged to belong. The children grew, and after a couple of false starts, left home to find their fortunes. Around that time, Ron built a business of his own, QuikService. This afforded him the means to spend some of his time with Betsy, traveling around the United States and Canada in a series of increasingly larger camp trailers and motor homes.

Ron enjoyed traveling and camping with Betsy for many years, until the progression of Parkinson's disease made it difficult to leave home. During that time, his children married, had children, and his grandchildren did the same. He loved every minute of the time he could spend with his extended family and spoke proudly of their talents and accomplishments with all who would listen.

Ron's wife Betsy survives. His sister, Dorothy, of Danbury, preceded him in passing. His sister, Barbara "Bobby" and her husband, Robert Demougeot, of Fairfield, Conn., survive; along with his son, Jeffrey, daughter-in-law Susanne and grandson Tyler; his son, Brian, his daughter-in-law Carol, grandchildren Matthew, Benjamin, Cynthia and her husband, Keith; Kristie, her husband, Duke, and great-grandchildren Joshua and Henry; his daughter, Janine, son-in-law Todd and grandchildren Kelly and Adam.

Viewing hours will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday April 9, 2012, at Skowhegan Federated Church, Island Avenue, Skowhegan, with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. at the church with the Rev. Mark Tanner officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes those desiring to honor Ron's memory support the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in the hope that soon we will have a cure for this terrible disease.