Ron Stallings, 82, a lifetime resident of Wenatchee Valley and life long member of the Church of the Brethren, passed away Sunday morning, January 30, 2011, surrounded by family, at Providence St. Peters Hospital in Olympia, WA.

Ron was born November 30, 1928, to Louis and Mary Stallings. He lived his childhood in Sunnyslope, in the area his great-grandparents had settled. He attended school in Sunnyslope, graduating from Wenatchee High School in 1946, then Wenatchee Valley College in 1950. He met Donna Graybill in 1942, and after five years of courtship, they married on December 7, 1947. They raised their family in Sunnyslope, finally moving "to town" in 1997. Donna passed away in 2003. In May 2010, Ron moved to Western Washington to be near his children and grandchildren.

Ron's ability to earnestly, effectively and happily spread himself between the store, the church, his family and friends was inspirational to many. While he may be known best as the owner of Stallings Athletic Company, in his retirement he enjoyed a wide variety of work experiences. These included working for the Westerberg Hotel, Jones & Jones Funeral Home, Pom Arleau's, investigating fire insurance claims, distributing The Wenatchee World and driving school bus. He continued the family tradition following his father, father-in-law, and his beloved wife, Donna, as Caretaker of Sunnyslope Cemetery for more than 20 years, until moving in 2010.

The Church of the Brethren in Sunnyslope and Wenatchee knew his dedication to God, community and the world's well-being as a devoted member. He actively contributed time, finances, attention, physical labor and unending love to the workings of the churches themselves and to their programs in the community and beyond.

An amazing athlete, most known for his skill in Basketball and Golf, Ron actively enjoyed life. He brought fun into anything and everything he did. His love of pranks and joking, while not always fully appreciated, was as much a cherished part of him as his kindness and generosity. Ron embodied the spirit of community, serving others without hesitation or question, and truly treasured interacting with those he came across. For Ron, strangers were indeed friends he had not yet met.

He is survived by four children, Nancy and Melody of Olympia, Rand of San Diego and April of Tacoma; sons-in-law, Bill Keim and Tom Seago; daughter-in-law, Sheri Novak; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; over 100 foster grandchildren; his siblings, Forrie and Stan Stallings; nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, all treasured and too numerous to name.

A Celebration of Ron's Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2011, at the Wenatchee Brethren-Baptist Church, 535 Okanogan Avenue. Memorial donations, if desired, may be sent to the church, for either the Church of the Brethren or for High Five for Kids, a program that provides enrichment activities for foster children.