Ronald Loren Kief

Ronald Loren (Ron) Kief passed away in the early morning on Monday, May 8h at home in Sherwood. He was well loved and will be deeply missed. Ron Kief was the second child of Loren Martin Henry and Nellie Catherine (Good) Kief, born February 11, 1943 in Lebanon, Oregon. After Graduating from Albany Union High School in 1961 he spent a lot of his time building and street racing hot cars and working for Grange Oil, before enlisting in the U.S. Army in February 1966. After boot camp and Supply school he was assigned to the Army Security Agency at Vent Hill Farm Station, Virginia, before being transferred to Headquarters, 138th Aviation Company, U.S. Army Pacific, in DaNang, Vietnam. After his discharge from the Army in January 1969 and returning to Oregon his plan was to take some time off and fish. That lasted one day until he went to the unemployment office and was offered a job at Sears working in the Hardware and Paint Department, which he started the day after he got home. After being promoted to Manager and running that department he was transferred to Washington Square, where in 1973 he was again promoted to running the Hardware and Home Improvement department at the new Sears store there. When Sears started a new Installed Home Improvement Division he was again promoted, this time to Sales Manager and Contractor Coordinator, and moved to Swan Island. After several years of success there, he was again promoted to Sears Regional Staff and moved to Bellevue, WA, where he was responsible for driving and ensuring the growth and continued success of the Sears Home Improvement Program in 47 states. After 25 years Ron retired from Sears, moved the family back to Oregon and started CPS Construction, Inc., where he had considerable success focusing on commercial tenant improvement for clients throughout the Pacific Northwest. He then started Day Road Design almost out of sheer frustration because he was continually redoing plans and building designs done by others. Doing this provided his clients with a full-service design-build alternative that was extremely well received and highly successful. In the middle of all of this, on February 14, 1981 he married the love of his life Patti, and blended two families into a wonderful family of six. As a man committed to his faith, Ron was a long time and active member of Village Baptist and Rolling Hills Community Church. He was passionate about and committed to serving as a spiritual mentor to men and the Men’s Ministry, taught Bible Studies classes, and provided his expertise as a member of the Building Committee at Village Baptist Church and working on the Severe Weather Shelter at Rolling Hills. Ron loved spending time with his family and friends and was a hard core Oregon Ducks fan. Traveling to Hawaii (or just about anywhere) with Patti and taking photos along the way was one of his true joys. He loved doing anything outdoors, especially camping and fishing, and was so eager to get out on the water as early as possible he was sometimes accused of waking up the fish! He often said that you can’t fish on an empty stomach so he and his fishing companions always ate well. One of Ron’s greatest joys was his trips to Camp Tadmore in Sweet Home for Men’s Roundup, along with his friends and the men he mentored. He was his children’s, grandchildren’s and great grandchildren’s biggest fan and loved spending as much time as possible with each of them. Ron Kief is survived his wife by Patti, his dearest friend and wife of 36 years, sisters Judy and Jewell; brother Jim; three children, Jenelle, Tony, and Leann; three grandchildren Courtney, Travis and Grace; and two great grandchildren, Wyatt and Chloe. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Erick. A memorial service and Celebration of a Life Well Lived will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, June 11 at Rolling Hills Community Church, 3550 SW Borland Rd., Tualatin, Oregon. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Rolling Hills Community Church Men’s Ministry.