Parcourez la nécrologie de Ronald Gordon Wensel September 12 1946 August 2 2024 77 Years Old résidant dans la province Ontario pour le détail des funérailles.
Ronald Wensel Obituary
Ronald “Ron” Gordon Wensel, 77, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on August 2, 2024, at the Deep River and District Hospital.
Ron was born on September 12, 1946, to Harry and Esther (Steinhauer) Wensel in Lethbridge, Alberta. At 3 years of age his family moved to Richmond, British Columbia. As a teenager when he wasn’t tinkering with engines he was exploring and fishing or working on the family’s hobby blueberry farm. He attended the University of British Columbia, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering in 1969 and in education in 1970. It was at an UBC engineering dance where he met Diane (Jude) Wensel, who became his wife of 53 years.
In 1971, he moved to Deep River, Ontario, where he began a career in the Mechanical Equipment Development Branch at AECL. Ron specialized in high-integrity materials and designs for improved sealing of hot, high-pressure water in nuclear plants. His expertise with elastomeric seals became internationally recognized. Following the Challenger Space Shuttle accident in 1986 he was requested to lead a team at Chalk River to help solve NASA’s O-ring problems, not only with current booster rockets, but with the new generation boosters now being used. These years of work were celebrated with Discovery Awards and a Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute medal. Ron retired from AECL’s Fluid Sealing Branch in 1996, continuing contract work until volunteer pursuits took over.
From l979-l981 he volunteered with CUSO, working in remote Bolivian mining cooperatives. At one he rebuilt a small hydro-electric plant to increase output, and in another he designed and built a system for separating fluvial gold deposits from gravel. While living in Bolivia, Ron and Diane adopted their daughter, Nitaya. Later in 1984 they adopted their son, Claudio, from Chile. Family always came first.
For Ron, going to work at “the Plant” each day meant biking summer and winter, that is until cross-country skiing became accepted. On weekend ski outings with Diane and friends, and later the family, he roamed the environs of Deep River and nearby hills of Quebec. With spring came paddling outings – in canoes he built himself.
Ron cherished the natural environment and acted to protect it. He was part of the group that spearheaded the purchase and protection of the Four Seasons land (Silver Spoon trails). Already an avid photographer, he was a member of the Deep River Camera Club and helped organize photography shows at the library. Hiking trips in BC, camping, canoeing, sailing locally or in BC, the Caribbean or Croatia, travelling to all the Canadian provinces, Europe, Africa, the Arctic, Australia, Japan, China, driving to Bolivia and to the tip of South America were all well photographed.
Practical and innovative, he partnered in designing and building both the cross-country ski chalet and the marsh viewing shelter. For the Yacht and Tennis club, he repaired many sailboats for the Junior Sailing Program. As a keen naturalist he led Outdoor Ed student groups and as a fluent Spanish speaker he participated in the local Spanish Group’s activities.
Between these activities, Ron made extensive renovations to the family home on River Road. When Nitaya married, first he converted her Ottawa house to which later became Claudio’s home, then did major renovations to her Deep River house when she moved with her husband and family.
Ron was a tinkerer and innovator, particularly focussed on conservation and electric transportation. He developed an electric-assist bicycle that Claudio now produces commercially. He converted the family car to all-electric and built several canoes plus one windsurfer. He loved to discuss technical details with friends, who all learned so much from him.
Ron was without doubt an extremely kind, loving, gentle and peaceful person, devoted to his family and community. A beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Ron is survived by his wife, Diane, his children, Nitaya (BJ Lamure) and Claudio (Maria daSilva), and two grandchildren, Sierra and Raymi, who affectionately knew him as “Tata.”
A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, August 29 at the Hex, Yacht & Tennis club from 3:00 – 6:00. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ron’s memory to the Four Seasons Conservancy, Box 2076, Deep River, Ont. K0J 1P0, or to the Deep River District Health Foundation “Closer to Home,” 117 Banting Drive, Deep River, Ont. K0J 1P0, or online for the hospital.
The family wishes to extend a special thanks to Dr Ceponis, all the staff at the Deep River and District Hospital, the staff at the Ottawa Heart Institute and the Home Care staff for their compassionate care. Also, they would like to thank all the many wonderful friends for their support and well wishes.
We love you, Ron. You will be missed more than words can say. If love alone could have kept you alive, you’d have lived forever.
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September 12 1946 August 2 2024 77 Years Old
Décès pour la Ville:Deep River, Province: Ontario
avis deces Ronald Gordon Wensel September 12 1946 August 2 2024 77 Years Old
nécrologie Ronald Gordon Wensel September 12 1946 August 2 2024 77 Years Old
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