Page created by: Michael Kmiec

To the Memory of a Fighter and our Patriarch, Ronald C. Paradoski –

In Detroit, MI on June 4, 1936, Casmere and Frances Paradoski welcomed their first born, Ronald Casmere Paradoski (Ron/Papa), into the world, not knowing the positive impact and influence their baby boy would have on his family, friends, and all who met him. As the oldest of six first generation Polish Americans (Jerry, Dennis, Robert (Bob), Diane, Sandy, and Judith (Judy; peacefully passed in 2004)), Ron led his younger siblings through his self-imposed doctrine of prioritizing family and commitment to service. These traits he lived by were exemplified and memorialized in time as Ron proudly and honorably served his beloved Country in the US Army during the Korean.

Following his service overseas, Ron returned home and became the luckiest man in the world when his beloved Rosemary (Grammy) agreed to be his partner for life, through sickness and health, in 1960. Shortly thereafter, his greatest blessings came to him through the birth of his cherished children, Ronald Jr., Roseann, and Lynmarie. He loved his children and wife with an everlasting passion and provided for them through his successful tenure at Coca-Cola. His passion for his work was evident for all that knew him not just through his business savvy and performance as a leading salesman but also through rooms full of Coca-Cola merchandise to prove it, including but certainly not limited to red & white golf bags, a set of limited edition cans commemorating the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series Champs, and even a Coca-Cola branded inflatable mattress (original hand pump included!).

Papa had many passions in life. He was a world-class baseball player that led to a tryout out with the Cincinnati Reds (he would tell you that Coca-Cola paid better) and a decorated boxer with the US Army. He golfed every opportunity he had and eventually retired to a golf course in Gaylord, MI during the Summer and Venice, FL in the Winter to maximize his rounds per year. He didn’t mind birthdays because as he got older, it became easier to shoot his age. In his retirement, when he wasn’t golfing with Grammy, he was still on the golf course as a Ranger and Starter at Tree Tops. At Tree Tops, Papa accumulated a lifetime supply of golf balls that were hooked or sliced and never retrieved by their previous owner (the balls were typically stored in Coca-Cola duffel bags that eventually had to be moved to a storage unit to save space in the garage). Papa meticulously followed his Detroit sports teams (including the Spartans) but passionately followed the Detroit Tigers - through their 1968 / 1984 World Series championships and even their 119-loss season in 2003 and the Detroit Lions - through an 0-16 season, the premature retirement of Barry Sanders (the greatest running back in the history of the sport), and only one playoff victory in the Super Bowl era. Two of my most prized possessions are a ball Papa gave me that had signed by all of the members of the 1968 Tigers World Series team (with names like Al Kaline, Denny McLain, Willie Horton, and Mickey Lolich) and a picture he gave me of him and two “kids” he drove home from the 1985 NBA rookie camp sponsored by Coke (who turned out to be Joe Dumars and Spudd Webb).

However, Papa’s greatest reward in life was spending time with and watching his grandchildren, Kristyn, Emily, Matthew, Michael, Taylor, Jonathan, Isabelle, and Ava, and his great grandchild, Brayden, grow into people that exemplify his gold standard of values. Given his passion and athletic genes he passed down, naturally all of his grandchildren turned into decorated athletes (I always thought I was the athlete of the family but as I now reflect on my siblings’ and cousins’ successes on the field, I am now dealing with the harsh reality that I might be at the opposite end of the spectrum… but I am proud of them all he was too, more than we can even comprehend). Papa never missed a game - even when it was snowing in late October during a Friday night football game and the side effects of his Parkinson’s medication or chemo therapy made him weak, ill, and unable to stay warm. He was always there. I used to think that he came back from Florida in April because the Michigan weather would finally become tolerable but now I realize that he just wanted to get back for the start of soccer and baseball season. Papa’s priority in life was making sure we were all happy, by however WE defined happiness and not the rest of the world. He loved us so much. As a brief anecdote, several years ago around Christmas we were all in Florida and I would wear his Crocs to run down to the car or walk over to the pool – I told him ONCE how comfortable they were. Later, I saw that he had the new George Bush book and I told him ONCE that I heard it was interesting and had planned to eventually read it. That Christmas, I had two more presents under the tree than everyone else, including an identical pair of Crocs (function over fashion!) and a new hardcover copy of the George Bush book - Papa had the paperback version but only the best was an option for his grandchildren.

Papa spoke softly but received the highest level of respect from all due to his pure spirit and wise outlook. Papa instilled his family and friends with lessons through his actions, not lectures, including a philosophy of compassion, handling situations with class but always remaining humble, the value of a superior work-ethic and the fruits that come from it, persisting through adversities, the importance of always keeping your "eye on the ball" and thinking three moves ahead (he said it was easy to think two steps ahead but not three), and an genuine methodology of treating people the right way – which I now think of as treating people how Papa would have. He was a fighter through several bouts of cancer and the associated chemo treatments, 10-years of Parkinson’s, and all of the obstacles God put before him. In his final days when the priest came to read him his Last Rites, you could see his will to continue to fight in his eyes because to him, even one extra moment with his wife, children, siblings, nieces, nephews, and friends was worth more than any amount of pain that would have resulted. We all love him very much and will miss him deeply until our time comes and we are reunited with him on the pristine golf course in heaven with an ice cold can of Coke.

Papa’s spirit remains with us always. He has provided us with the compass to live out full and happy lives while positively impacting those around us, as he did. Papa never missed an opportunity to tell us how much he loved us and how proud he was to call us his.

We love you endlessly and could not be prouder to call you ours.