Dr. Ronald D. Metcalf, Sr. (Seymour)'s Obituary
Ronald was born on New Year’s Eve 1954 in Marysville, California. He would become one of 4 brothers and 1 sister born to Eugene E. Metcalf and Patricia Ann (Hulsey) Metcalf. He grew up in the small town of Wheatland, California in the 50’s and 60’s with very few luxuries as his father was a worker on the local Durst Ranch. Ron graduated High School there and began a lifelong love of education. Ron also worked on the farm picking peaches, running the tractor and helping with the bales of hay when he grew old enough to work. Wanting to buy his 1st car he also worked at the Hop Ranch for extra money so he could buy a 4 door 1957 forest green Chevrolet 250 Bel-Air. Later when his father opened up Metcalf Donuts in and around Wheatland, Ron along with other family members helped work the shops. He was quite the expert at bread and donut making.
At the age of 17, Ron entered the military. He worked in personnel where he learned to hone his writing and typing skills. He gleaned from this experience an ability to express himself in papers he would write during pursuit of his higher education. The Army became his "family" and the chance he had always wanted to prove himself. He felt more comfortable on base than any other place on earth. He could relate to other men who served.
It was at this point in his life that he met and married for the first time. The couple got orders that stationed them in Germany. Ron did a lot of shooting skeet and trap and took up skiing on the snow-covered Alps of Germany. He enjoyed the German beer, the culture and had a front row seat to the Black Sunday events in Munich and he learned to read, speak and write (Bavarian) German as well. He worked part-time at the Rod and Gun Club. He had his first daughter, Victoria. After their tour of duty ended, both he and his growing family left the military and returned home so he could go to college.
Ron's interest had blossomed into a desire to serve in law enforcement. So, after earning an Associate's degree he entered and graduated the police academy program. He was hired as a police officer in Angles Camp, California. Although he was happy, his wife wanted to move closer to family in San Francisco. The couple parted ways and he became single again.
Not long afterwards he reentered the military as it was so familiar and he was with what he felt were his friends and family. This time he was a trained MP and had orders to Korea. His tours here put him close to and on the 54th parallel “DMZ” between North and South Korea, where, during the 1980’s, tensions were high. While there, he learned the language and married his second wife. They came back to the U.S. where she became a citizen.
Ron was then assigned duty at Fort Huachuca, Arizona as a drill sergeant training recruits. He loved the idea that he was teaching and could make a difference in a soldier's life. During his assignment, he had 2 more children, a daughter Kristina and a son, Ron Jr. At the end of this assignment he was allowed to choose his next duty station. He and his family moved to Hawaii where he was placed in charge of base MP's. He was able to not only enjoy his military career but help raise his 2 children, and start work towards a Bachelor's degree.
When he finished that tour, he left Hawaii, to go to Georgia to become game warden for the base and bought his first home. He continued working on his Bachelor's degree and securing his future. Somewhere along the way, he and his wife went separate ways. The Army decided he would be best suited for tours in Korea. He spent 3 more tours of duty there. Ron began a part-time job teaching English to Koreans. It was during this time that he found that teaching was what he wanted to do after the Army. On one of those tours, he was hit by a car while crossing the street. After 11 surgeries, and over a year of healing in the hospital, he was back on active duty with the military. However, he knew he could no longer keep up with the rigors of Army life, so he refocused his efforts towards his backup plan, and finished his course work on a Bachelor's degree.
He was back in the states by then and ready to retire. While waiting to retire, he started substitute teaching. He found he couldn't do both army and teaching. He was forced to quit teaching until he retired. His teaching career was put on hold for only a couple of months, he retired from the Army with 26 years active service reaching the rank of Sargeant First Class.
Ron moved back to Washington State earning a Master's degree. Although he met and married a third time, he shared that he didn't recognize it as a true marriage, and ended that relationship within less than 3 months. He was still looking for a forever happy life. Ron went back home to California.
Ron did some substitute teaching in Washington and California until he landed a full-time teaching assignment in Tampa, Florida. There he met and married Briana in 2000. Now, having found his happy wife and happy life he felt it was important to continue his career earning a Specialist and PhD in Psychology degrees. Through the years, he taught in: elementary, Algebra I, Geometry, World History, English, and AP Psychology. He felt every kid should have a chance to learn.
Finally retiring in 2013, Ron and Briana moved together to live out the childhood dream Ron always had. In Seymour, Missouri he found his final peace, on their farm raising cattle and chickens and happy endings of any pursuit. His dog Tucker was always by his side. He passed on from this life but, his lessons, still import, remain. He is survived by his dedicated wife Briana, his father Eugene, his mother Patricia Edwards, 2 loving brothers and their wives Todd & Christina Metcalf and Randy & Debbie Metcalf, 1 sister Michelle Gorman, 5 children Robert W. Manring, Victoria Moyer, David Manring, Kristina Metcalf and Ronald D. Metcalf, Jr., 7 grandchildren, and even his first great grandchild. He will be greatly missed.
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