Ronald R. Bristol

Ronald Richard “Ron” Bristol, age 88, of Crystal, Michigan, passed away peacefully at home on August 28, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Ron was born on August 10, 1938, in Orleans, Michigan, to Frank and Alice Bristol (Hawley). He was one of nine children. He shared an especially close bond with his brother Don—the two brothers even married sisters.

Ron met the love of his life, JoAnn, when she was 12 and he was 13. They married on September 15, 1956, and would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this year. Together, they built a life centered around family and created a legacy that now spans five generations.

Ron and JoAnn raised eight children: Shirley Thomas, whose late husband was Scott Thomas; Shelia Lanning; Ronald Richard Bristol Jr. and his wife, Barb; Rebecca Bristol; the late Susan Felty and her husband, Kim; Andrea Kelsay and her husband, Robert; John Bristol; and Jamie Bolf and her husband, Bruce. Ron was also blessed with 17 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

Ron worked for General Motors in Lansing for 35 years, retiring at the age of 55. But sitting still wasn't exactly in his nature, so he went on to work for the Daily News for another five years alongside JoAnn.

In retirement, Ron and JoAnn enjoyed camping on their property in Gowen. He loved motorcycle trips with his brother and sister-in-law, fishing trips to Canada and a long-running lawn-mowing rivalry with John Rohn, his neighbor of 48 years.

Ron was a private man who preferred keeping to himself rather than being in a crowd. He liked things a certain way, and everyone knew his belongings were to stay exactly where he left them. And those close to him knew, do not give him his morning coffee is a different cup.

Underneath that tough exterior, however, was a man who would do absolutely anything for his family.

Over the years, more than a few family members called Ron and JoAnn's spare room home. There were cars to pull out of snowy banks, people who ran out of gas and needed rescuing and, on occasion, someone who needed to be bailed out of jail. Whatever the situation, when one of his kids or grandkids needed him, Ron was there.

He wasn't a man of grand displays or many words. He showed his love by showing up—again and again.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Alice Bristol; his eight siblings, Orval, Mavis, Lester, Arthur, Theodore, Donald, Rosetta and Gary; his daughter, Susan Felty; and other loved ones who went before him.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, JoAnn, their children and the many generations of family who were fortunate enough to know what it meant to have someone they could always depend on.

In accordance with Ron's wishes, there will be no funeral. His family will gather for a memorial celebration at a later date.

There are people whose love is spoken, and there are people whose love is shown over a lifetime— in problems solved, a spare room offered and the simple certainty that when something went wrong, there was someone you could call.

For his family, that person was Ron.

He was always there—the one man in this world we all knew we could always count on.