My heart is heavy, and it is with deep sadness that I inform you that my best friend and husband of almost 41 years, Ronald Lynn "Tink" McKeehen, 72, passed at our Winter home in Yuma, AZ on Saturday, December 24, 2022.  We met in early 1980 in Virginia and realized during our first conversation that our families were originally from the same counties in PA.  Our grandparents even knew each other.  We married in January 1982 in the oldest Methodist church chapel in Maryland and I became Nancy McKeehen.  We had been together all but a couple months during our almost 43 years together.

He was born July 5, 1950 in Spangler, PA; the son of Harry "Pete" and Jane (Anderson) McKeehen of Cherry Tree, PA.

Ron graduated from Harmony High School in 1968 and left for the DC suburbs which would be the beginning of his living a life filled with travels and adventure.  Over the next several decades he owned a construction company; later attended Boston College and completed a degree in computer science; and, his last career challenge was co-owning and operating an outdoor kitchen and grill store with me.

Over the years, he had an endless passion for "toys" that included several Corvettes (mid-years -– restored from boxes of parts; and a couple newer models that were "jump in and enjoy"); multiple RVs of various types; numerous Harleys and a Can Am Spyder; an offroad, lifted Jeep Rubicon; and a turbo charged Razor.  While living in New Hampshire, he was the founding President of the New England Chapter of NCRS.  He never let any moss grow under our feet – that meant when the next adventure or opportunity presented itself, we moved.  We lived in multiple states along the East Coast.

He hunted deer with his Father as a teenager.  Later he spent many deer seasons as an adult in Western Pennsylvania at a small hunting camp in Hoopup. Those guys and girls that came to camp every year to hunt and tell deer tales have remained friends for a lifetime.  He also enjoyed shooting competition trap and skeet when we lived in Virginia.  His passion for handguns developed when he started shooting IHMSA in the late 80s in Virginia with custom and commercial firearms; and, in fact, in 1992, placed third in the world competition (over 300 competitors) with a score of 79 out of 80 targets.

We retired in 2016 and have crisscrossed the US three times in various motorhomes -– eventually, building a Winter home in Yuma with plans to continue to travel "with the sun" in the summers.  We were members of the FMCA 4-wheelers and have completed many offroad trails with some serious rock crawls in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, California, and Montana.  He loved the ocean and when our travels got us to Oregon, he would spend hours on the water fishing and crabbing.  In the Winter, he would rip the Razor through the Imperial Dunes in southern CA.   He often commented that it was the closest thing to flying BUT he had control!  He never turned down a political discussion over a single malt Scotch or an IPA beer and you always knew exactly what he stood for.

Wherever we traveled, Ron was a social butterfly; his personality had no filter, which is the trait that endeared him to so many people over the years that established long-lasting and cherished friendships, some of which have endured for decades.  He had a dry and sometimes warped sense of humor; his exuberance for life and his smile were infectious.  He had a heart of gold and would lend assistance wherever and whenever he was needed.  He had a unique way of looking at things but that was all part of his charm.  Life with him was never dull and there were always new adventures to tackle and conquer.  Above all else, he absolutely was the love of my life, my rock and best friend.  Our bucket list wasn't even half completed but our travelogue has suddenly and without warning been cut short.  He was a very, very special man and will always be loved and missed.  Neither of us have regrets except that he went to Heaven way too soon.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Patricia Jane Stiteler.  Surviving members of his family include his brother, Randy McKeehen and wife, Jackie; his nephew, Jason R. Stiteler and wife, Shavonne; niece, Heather Stiteler; and great nieces, Kristi and Misti McKeehen and great nephews, Isaac Stiteler and Chase Stiteler.

His cremation is being handled by Sunset Vista Funeral Home & Crematory ( www.sunsetvistafuneralhome.com ).  Ron's request was that any remembrances be made to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief and Rescue, Inc. ( https://cbrrescue.org ) as over the years we had six Chesapeake Bay Retriever fur babies or Birdie's Closet, Indiana Healthcare Foundation (Indiana, PA; https://www.irmc.org/services/comprehensive-breast-center/ ) in remembrance of his sister, Pat.

A Celebration of Life will be held later.