Ronald Yeager

Ronald R. Yeager, Sr. (Ron), age 78, of Chambersburg, PA, passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, February 16, 2019, at the Falling Spring Nursing and Rehab Center, where he was a resident for four days. Born at home in Welsh Run, PA on February 6, 1941, he was the son of the late Charles E. Yeager and Violet L. Carbaugh Yeager Hostettler.
A proud U.S. Airforce veteran, Ron served in Germany during the Berlin Crisis and at Vandenberg AFB during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He continued his service to his country working at Letterkenny Army Depot. After retirement, Ron worked for NAPA auto parts as a delivery driver. He was a member of the American Legion Post 46, AMVETS Post 224, and the Marine Corps League all in Chambersburg. Ron enjoyed watching the Los Angeles Rams, woodworking, NASCAR, especially at Dover, cheering for his favorite driver, Mark Martin. He cherished time rooting for his grandkids and their teammates at their travel/community/school baseball and football games. A special “thank you” to the 12 U Renegades Travel baseball team for unanimously adopting him as everybody’s “Pappy” and supporting him throughout his courageous battle with cancer. He knew and watched every John Wayne movie in existence and knew the dialogue by heart. By far his greatest enjoyment was decorating the outside of his house with thousands of white lights, including trimming of hedges, bushes, trees, and shrubs. He displayed approximately 60 lawn lighted ornaments comprised of deer, snowman, sleighs, carriages, trees, and angels. Christmas was his favorite holiday and he said all the work was worth it to see the joy that it brought to kids passing by. Ron will always be remembered as a sharing and caring man who was deeply devoted and showed unconditional love to his wife, children and spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchild, family and friends, and his “special” neighbor “Katie”.
Surviving is his beloved wife of 58 years, Joyce West Yeager; proud parent of two daughters and one son and their spouses, whom he considered to be his own; daughters, Rhonda J. Mellott (husband Tom), Tamera “Tami” A. Stoner (husband Jimmy), and son, Ronald R. Yeager, Jr. (wife Michelle); devoted Pappy to six surviving grandchildren surrounding them with unconditional love and support, Megan M. McDannell, Cassondra J. “CJ” Mellott-LaRusso (husband Mike), Martina R. Mellott, Ryan M. McDannell, Mason A. Yeager and Cole M. Yeager; one great-grandson, Alexander “Xander” LaRusso, who enjoyed feeding “Pappy Eager” figgy newtons. In addition Ron is survived by his step-father, Marlin C. Hostettler, one sister, Diana Harrison, son-in-law, Troy McDannell, and one furry feline daughter, Boots. In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles Yeager, Jr. and James J. Yeager and his beloved oldest granddaughter, Alyssa, who welcomed him to his heavenly home with a rose from the garden she has been tending above for 32 years.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 22, 2019, at 10 AM in the Chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Rd., Chambersburg, PA, where Pastor Murray B. Stevens will officiate. The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 21, 2019, from 6 – 8 PM and one hour prior to the service in the funeral home on Friday. Interment will follow in Parklawns Memorial Gardens where Military Honors will be rendered by members of the VFW Post 1599 Honor Guard. If desired memorial contributions may be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 50 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.