Ronald (Ron) Gene Avants, 67, died Saturday, August 7, 2021 at his home.

Ron was born in Wichita, KS to Vernon Gene Avants and Doris Nadine (Keith) Avants. The family moved numerous times during his youth, since his father worked for the government and Boeing. He lived in Wichita, KS as well as Fort Walton Beach, FL, Portsmouth, NH, and Haysville, KS, always returning to Wichita in between each move until the move to Alamogordo, NM. Ron left behind some truly close friends in this last move, who he continued to have some contact with through the years. He attended his senior year and then graduated from Alamogordo High School. After a few years in New Mexico Ron and his family moved to Norman, OK for a short period of time and then the final move in Ron’s life was a move to Stillwater, OK in 1971. Ron then attended Oklahoma State University.

He worked for at least 35 years with Mercury MerCruiser. He was a Quality Control Die Cast Inspector and he worked with MerCruiser until his retirement. Safety was always a priority and he absolutely would not allow anything to pass his inspection until it was accurate. He was very detailed in his work.

In 2004, Ron made a large donation of books and materials to help those wanting to learn English as a second language. At the time a plaque was placed in honor of his donation to the Stillwater Public Library. Ron was an avid reader and he enjoyed sharing his love of books with others. 

On April 30, 2011, the Stillwater New Press published an article titled, Stillwater Literacy Council Honors Tutors, Students. In the article Ron Avants is recognized for working with international students and those in need of basic literacy training for the past 16 years. The article mentions the joy he felt as one of his students landed his first job. He was also quoted about the joy he has when the “metaphorical light bulb” goes off in a student’s head. Ron was passionate about helping others and he gave much of himself doing just that. A plaque is still located in the office of the Stillwater Literacy Council’s (SLC) office in honor of his volunteerism.

On October 10, 2012, in another article titled, Stillwater Literacy Council Honors English Tutor, Ron is recognized for his creative touch when trying to explain the concept of the word “frightening.”. He became quiet and then screamed “Boo” of course scaring his unsuspecting students. He found being silly could help to get the meaning across. Ron was recognized for volunteering almost 200 hours in the month before this article. This was not uncommon for this kind, thoughtful, and caring man.

Ron also taught for the Family Resource Center (FRC), which is setup for the international students at Oklahoma State University. He taught English as a second language there for about 5-7 years and gave many hours of his time volunteering and creating curriculum for the students to learn.

He also served as an advisory board member and then later became vice president of the SLC board and was in that position for two years. His health caused him to have to resign.

Ron then continued to teach for years from his private home until his health would no longer allow him to continue. Through the years he would have students that he taught stay in touch with him even after their careers had started, they went on to earn higher degrees and, in some cases, moved far away to other states and even countries. In a recent conversation with one of his past students, the woman was shocked to hear of his passing and commented he was like a brother to her.

Ron was an active member of First Baptist Church, and he also was active in the Iglesia Bautista Bethel Hispanic Church where he continued to help others learn English, attending services and bible study. He loved people and always had a genuine heart for others. You could always find him helping someone.

Other hobbies and interests included playing his coronet. While a student at Alamogordo High School, he traveled with the school band to compete in the Tri-State competition held in Enid, OK, where the band earned high honors. Ron also played his coronet in the early years with the Stillwater Community Band.

Ron was briefly married to Debra Bundy. In that marriage a baby girl was born, April Leah Avants.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jim and Velma Keith, Stillwater; paternal grandparents, Alfred A. and Sally Avants, Pawnee; mother, Doris Nadine (Keith) Avants, Stillwater; and an infant grandson, Damon Jonathan-Ryan Avants.

Ron is survived by his daughter, April Leah Avants, Stillwater; father, Vernon Gene Avants, Stillwater; three sisters, Cheryl (Avants) Maye of Stillwater, Melinda (Avants) Williams and her husband Joe of Ada, Janice (Avants) Cox and her husband, Tad of Stillwater; a grandson and a granddaughter; three nephews, four nieces, two great-nephews, and three great-nieces