Ronald Sibthorpe

Ronald Charles Sibthorpe, 72, of Erick, Oklahoma passed away in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on December 8, 2023 in the presence of his youngest daughter, stepson and sister.

Ron was born in Dallas, Texas on April 1, 1951 to Charles and Frieda (Bumann) Sibthorpe. Ron was preceded in death by his wife, Angelia Sibthorpe and his parents. He is survived by his children: Ron Sibthorpe, Sharon (Josh) Frick, Emily (Ken) Dwinnells, and stepson Sam (Lisa) Brown. He was a grandfather to 10 grandchildren, Neil, Justin, Alex, Nathan, Corey, Natalie, Toby, Olivia, Silas, and Dani, and 6 step-grandchildren, Parker, Peyten, Noah, Patrick, Aiden and Nate; and his sister, Shirley Sibthorpe.

Ron proudly served in the Marine Corps for 8 years. After his military service, he earned an Associate’s Degree in pre-engineering from Johnson County Community College and pursued a career as a Project Manager in the Industrial Automation industry until his retirement in 2003.

Ron was born a Texan and like they say, everything is bigger in Texas. He was big guy with a big smile who loved a good steak and a cold beer and could be seen sporting a cowboy hat on most days. Life took him around the country as a child and then again later during his service in the military, ultimately settling down just outside of Texas in Erick, Oklahoma where his sister followed, residing in the house right next door. He was a good brother who didn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand when life presented challenges. He and Shirley looked out for one another and he will be dearly missed.

Ron was the type of guy who seemed to be able to fix anything, always having the tools to do the job whether it be repairing cars, appliances, construction or plumbing, you name it and he could find a way to fix it. He shared his wealth of knowledge with everyone around him. He was never without a pen, or two or three, in his shirt pocket readily available to draw out on a napkin, on the back of a paper menu or in a notebook, what he was trying to convey about a subject because sometimes sketching out a diagram came easier to him than words alone did to describe what he was trying to teach.

In his retirement, Ron spent his free time pursuing a passion for photography. He always had a new gadget to get the best shot and was toting around his camera gear ready to snap images of the beautiful moments of those around him, the captivating wildlife, a lunar eclipse or picturesque landscape. He had a keen eye and enjoyed capturing the beauty the world has to hold.

Ron loved his children although time, health and distance sometimes made visits infrequent. Ron spent time with his grown children and grandchildren when he could, traveling to visit in Arizona and Michigan. He enjoyed going to The Alamo with his grandson and taking a trip to see all of the waterfalls in Michigan with his son, outings to the orchards to pick apples and spending time with his young grandchildren and of course, photographing it all.

Ron was a devoted Jehovah’s Witness and enjoyed attending services with family and friends in his congregation. A memorial service to honor and celebrate his life will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness in Sayre, Oklahoma on January 13th at 2:00pm.