Ronald 'Ron' Kenzy

Ronald “Ron” Kenzy passed away July 28, 2020, at his home in Cameron Park, CA. He was born Sept 18, 1935, to Eugene and Opal (Fees) Kenzy, in the home of his grandparents in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. According to his wishes, cremation has taken place with further arrangements to be held at a later date.

He was born to Eugene and Opal (Fees) Kenzy, in the home of his grandparents in Scottsbluff, born the second of seven children. His father wanted to be a farmer and moved the family to the north of Scottsbluff along the north-side of Platte Valley, where the soil was sandy sandburs and the rattlesnakes were prevalent.

At the age of four, Ronald rode a Shetland pony, Betty, herding cows with their calves, he also rode her 1 ½ miles to a one-room school north of Morrill, NE. The rest of his elementary schooling took place in several schools due to hard times and crops being hailed out.

When WWII ended, the Sioux Army Depot near Sidney. NE offered jobs to civilians. The family moved to Gurley, NE., where both his parents found jobs and the kids enrolled in Gurley schools. In his senior year, Ronald lettered in basketball and played the trombone in the Gurley Band, graduating in May of 1954. He had worked after school, on weekends and during summers for local farmers.

Following graduation, he traveled to Portland, Oregon where he enrolled in the T.V. Technical School of Portland. It was there he broke an ankle skiing Mount Hood. Completing the course, he returned home to find the Cheyenne County Draft Board was about to call him up. He enlisted in the Army on January 21, 1958, and completed Basic Training at Fort Carson, CO. His unit was ordered to ship out for Europe; they landed on European soil in July 1958. He was stationed in Germany until an early discharge. He was onboard a military truck returning to base when the driver lost control. After recovery, he was given an Honorary Medical Discharge. His injuries would plague him for the rest of his life. He left the Army as a Specialist Fourth Class of the 13th Artillery’s Headquarters Battery.

That winter, Ronald and a classmate, Pete Rehmers of Gurley drove to San Bruno, CA, enrolling in college courses. They dove for abalone and sold them to help pay for expenses. He went to work for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. in Burlingame where he met Rosalie Zarzana, the daughter of Gasper and Jennie (D’amico) Zarzana.

Ronald married Rosalie E. Zarzana on August 25, 1961, in the Trinity Lutheran Church of Burlingame, CA. The couple made their home in Burlingame. Two children were born to the couple; Debraha Jean Kenzy and Derek Eugene Kenzy. Ronald was always proud of his children and followed their school events, worked with them on 4-H projects and their additional interests. Ronald and Rosalie enjoyed cruises abroad and went sight-seeing at Ports of Entry.

On July 16, 1965, in San Mateo, CA., Ronald was among the 2,500 students enrolled in the “CSM” Real Estate Courses. The most popular course in the college. Ronald was among the 39% completing the course. He has been involved in real estate, subdividing, building, and remodeling, etc., up until the day he passed away.

Ronald collected spurs and enjoyed sharing the origin and history as well as the spur and its ownership. The last pair was purchased in Sidney, NE in February of this year. A cattle rancher had used them daily for over 40 years. Good spurs are seldom owned by a single owner, in good condition.

Ronald was a poet but didn’t take the time to write them down. He had the talent, it just wasn’t his passion; building was.

Ronald is survived by his wife Rosalie of Cameron Park, CA; son, Derek and partner Dalia Coffman of Rescue, Ca., daughter, Debraha Kenzy Lovejoy of Weixer, ID; one brother, Frank and Delores (Kenzy) of Scottsbluff, Ne, two sisters, Ruth Kenzy Lynch of Sterling, CO and Audrey Kenzy Buhrdorf of Sidney, NE; a sister-in-law Carol (John) Kenzy of PA., nieces and nephews, first and second cousins along with friends.

Preceding him in death are his parents – Eugene and Opal Kenzy, brothers Dale Arden, Dennis LeRoy, and Dr. John Q. Kenzy, brothers-in-law Robert Buhrdorf and Charles Lynch, and sister-in-law Doris Kenzy.