Ronald Henn

Ronald Raymond Henn, age 73, passed away peacefully in Middlesboro, Kentucky, on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, on July 8, 1946, to Donald and Ruth (Tamplin) Henn. Ron grew up on a small farm in Preble County and was a star athlete at Monroe High School, where he set records in cross country and track and field. He was recruited by the Eastern Kentucky University basketball program in 1964, and while at EKU, met Ruth Risner of Pineville, Kentucky. They were married in December 1967 and welcomed their first child, Ronald, Jr., the next year. They lived in El Dorado, Ohio, before settling in Richmond, Indiana, in 1974.

Over the years, Ron worked a series of security and maintenance jobs in Dayton and Richmond while pursuing a variety of side businesses and creative projects, from managing an amateur wrestler to starting a limousine service and briefly owning a variety store on Richmond’s downtown promenade. He was an aspiring country singer who made two pilgrimages to Nashville, first in 1975 and again in 1983, staying in boarding houses and recording demos of original and cover material. He self-financed two singles on his own Charity and Lone Star labels, which were local hits. Ron’s musical life was chronicled by his family on a 2011 compilation CD.

Ron continued to play sports throughout his life, at his peak playing hundreds of games each year with local baseball and softball leagues. Ron also enjoyed buying and repairing used cars, owning more than 200 cars over the years. His most fateful car sale was in 1985, when a production assistant for the movie Hoosiers contacted him to buy a vintage car for the set. When Ron delivered the car, he was offered the role of team scorekeeper and is visible at the top of the screen just above Gene Hackman in all of the movie’s home game scenes.

In 1987, Ron joined the staff of Earlham College, where he was known for his kindness and whistling. After his retirement in 2004, one of his favorite pastimes was riding his bike to get a cup of coffee at Earlham’s Runyan Center.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Gary (2002) and Donald, Jr. (2013). He is survived by his wife Ruth; sister Patti Sheppard of Dayton; son Ron, daughter-in-law Paula (Torres), and grandchildren Nathan and Daniel of Chicago, Illinois; son Jason and daughter-in-law Anna Kates of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and daughter Tiffani and son-in-law David Deutsch of Louisville, Kentucky.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, 2019, at the Creech Funeral Home Chapel with the funeral service to follow at 6:00 p.m.

Online condolences and guestbook are available at www.creechfh.com

Creech Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.