Ron Waisner

Ron was born the oldest of three boys and a girl in Marshall, Missouri where each of his parents had escaped from family farms as soon as they were old enough to leave home. His father worked for the local shoe factory and his mother stayed home to care for her children and instill the Midwestern values she grew up with. She was a positive influence throughout Ron’s life and he enjoyed frequent visits to Marshall until her death recently at the age of 92.

Ron was always interested in sports; playing baseball until his mid-twenties and attending Missouri Valley College on a football scholarship. His original plan was to coach high school football and teach math. But a reality check on how much teachers are paid soon had him changing his major to economics and business.

Upon graduation he began a career with Continental Insurance in Kansas City. Three months later he was offered executive training in Chicago. Being single and carefree he jumped at the chance to go to the exciting big city. He soon learned that executive training was code for cheap labor and new blood to do the heavy lifting. But he persisted and eventually it did lead to the executive board room. While working in Chicago he learned of a company softball team and was excited to return to his sports days. Imagine his shock when no gloves were allowed and the ball was a 16” mush ball. But always a good sport he played on the team for five years.

One day in the company elevator he found a “shiny Penny”, a fellow employee from a different floor. He introduced himself, they talked; they dated and were soon married. Penny had been born and raised in Chicago and had only lived there and in the suburbs. Little did she know that she would soon be a nomad traipsing from city to city for the next thirty years. Their first son, Jeff, was born in 1962 while they were still in Chicago.

In 1964 what Ron calls his Continental Odyssey began with a transfer to Indianapolis where second son, Tim, was born in 1966 and Ron returned to the game of fast pitch. Ron understood that the path to advancement in the insurance world depended on a willingness to travel during the week and an enthusiasm for new assignments and transfers. Ron and Penny determined that he would embrace the business world and she would follow the example of her mother-in-law and provide the stability and support her sons needed to succeed educationally and athletically. It seems to have been a good plan; both boys are happy and successful, even choosing the insurance business as their careers.

Meanwhile Ron was moving on; accepting transfers to Memphis in 1969, Milwaukee in 1972 and York, Pennsylvania in 1975 where he opened a new office. They remained in York for ten years giving time for Tim to finish high school, Jeff to finish Shippensburg College and Ron to excel athletically playing both basketball and traditional slo-pitch. In fact it was a basketball injury that led to Ron becoming a pitcher. He had always played the outfield or second base. After tearing up his leg playing basketball he couldn’t run at all and told his softball coach he’d have to drop off the team. The coach urged him to play pitcher and they would use a courtesy runner for him. Ron agreed if a neighbor who pitched thought he had potential and would work with him. The lessons took and Ron played on the company team and his church team. In fact Penny says that what with the boys’ games and Ron’s games there were only 3 or 4 nights a month that everyone was home for dinner.

In 1985 Ron was transferred to Sacramento to be the regional vice president and manager. His territory stretched from Denver to Alaska. He was so busy traveling throughout the west supervising countless local offices that he didn’t have time for softball. He, Penny and Tim settled in a four-level home on a third of an acre in Folsom and Tim enrolled at Chico State. He now lives in Roseville and Jeff lives in El Dorado Hills with his wife and three boys.

Seven years later Continental Insurance was being bought out and Ron was offered a golden handshake he couldn’t resist and took early retirement at the age of 55. He and Penny did some traveling and he played a lot of golf. He became active in SIRS of Folsom, a social organization of retired men who get together for picnics, bowling, and golf. He spent several years as Big Sir and on the planning committee organizing golf outings to Carmel and South Ridge Buttes; among other activities.

Some years ago they began tiring of the high maintenance of their land, home and pool and began looking into retirement communities in Arizona, Texas and other states. They found them attractive, but realized that with their sons local they wanted to stay in the area. They watched with interest as Sun City Roseville was successful and their property values rose. So when Lincoln Hills opened they decided to get in early; choosing a spec home in Village 15, just a stone’s throw from the ball field.

Ron went down to McBean Park and tried out for the new softball league of two teams, but decided to concentrate on settling into his new home and didn’t actually play until the next spring (2001) when he was placed on Rainbow Market with George Bungarz as his manager. About half way through that first season George found out he could pitch and there he’s been every winter and summer season since. He has been in four championship games: winning two and losing two.

He has played tournament ball since 2001 as well: pitching for the Sun Eagles through 2007 and now with the new Coyotes 70’s team. He has many warm memories of countless tournaments from Reno, Nevada to Salem, Oregon to St. George, Utah and throughout Northern California; but the most memorable may be being in Las Vegas on 9/11.

Penny and Ron are enjoying the friends they’ve made here at Sun City. Penny is active in an exercise program called the Circuit that meets 3 days a week at Kilaga; and has a ladies Bunco group. They also belong to a couples Bunco group with their neighbors, many of whom just happen to be ballplayers.

Baseball is still a major part of their life as they try to get to as many of their grandsons’ games as possible. Ron took the three boys to Arizona in March for spring training making the rounds to about three teams’ camps. And of course as a life-long Cardinals fan you can find him listening to a broadcast on his subscription radio any time he’s at home.

Other hobbies include investing and collecting commemorative coins. He is compiling books of the state quarters for each of his grandsons and is only four states short of completion.

So, if you’re a manager who wants a little Insurance at the pitching position Ron just might be your guy. (In case you missed it that was a pun.)