Ronald Flaspohler

Flaspohler, Ronald J. 11/6/1932 - 7/17/2020 Kalamazoo Ronald John Flaspohler, husband, father, grandfather, teacher and learner, curious and generous in all he had, passed away on July 17th at the age of 87. Born to the late Genevieve and Albert Flaspohler and raised in Salisbury, Missouri, 'Ronnie' excelled in academics and was an accomplished baseball and basketball player. His interest in the natural world was also evident from an early age and was gift passed on to his children and grandchildren. He met his future wife, Helen Jean Morrison, at a high school dance and they married in May 1955, enjoying 62 years of marriage prior to Helen's death in 2018. Ron and Helen modeled a loving, respectful, trusting and endearing relationship for their children; Rhonda (Kalamazoo), John (Moorhead, MN), David (Hancock, MI) and Janet (deceased). Ron was also a kind and loving grandfather to five grandchildren: Genevieve, Ingrid, Erik, Lydia and Claire. Following service in the US Army, Ron graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor's degree in geology before obtaining his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Michigan in 1969. His doctoral dissertation examined lizard behavior and afforded his young children the chance to travel to the southern US in search of lizards and gain an appreciation for both travel and the natural world. Ron taught in the School of General Studies at Western Michigan University from 1970 until his retirement in 1992. His retirement rekindled a childhood passion for butterflies, and for over 20 years he accumulated an impressive collection of lepidoptera that captivated his grandchildren and can now be found as the Flaspohler Collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Numerous trips to many areas of Central and South America as well as the Caribbean provided adventures for Ron and Helen and their adult children. The photo was taken in a dugout canoe in danger of tipping in rapids in French Guiana, though an unperturbed Ron never seemed happier. Ron was a fixture at home in a comfortable chair with a book on natural history while taking in a Tiger or U-M game but on occasion could surprise even his skeptical children in a moment of adventure as he sought what was around the next bend in the river or in the next field of flowers that might be home to the butterflies that were among his lifelong pleasures. In all of us lies a child, sometimes long dormant. In Ron that child was often bubbling close to the surface, and whether he was chasing butterflies or holding Helen's hand or just laughing heartily he was always a great husband, father, teacher, learner, and a fine man. Thank you for all you gave us dad. We will always love you. To view Ron's personalized webpage please visit https://www.langelands.com