Ronald Saas

Ronald James Saas “Ron”, 80, of Westerville, Ohio passed away peacefully on March 15, 2024 with his longtime companion and partner Karen Flanigan at his side in the care of The Legacy at English Station in Louisville, KY. Ron was born September 8, 1943 in Cleveland, OH to the late James and Mary Lou Saas.

Ron grew up with his brother Bill in Cleveland, Ohio following the Browns, running around with friends and working off and on at his father’s plating shop, General Hard Chrome. He graduated from Rocky River HS in 1961 and Walsh College, now Walsh University in Canton, Ohio, in 1965. Soon after graduating from college he followed in the family business with a job working in the lab for RO Hull Company. He was eventually promoted into sales for the specialty electroplating chemical company where his career began to take off. Ron won just about every sales contest there was in the 70’s, developing many customers and friends along the way. His customers loved him. After a few corporate buyouts and ownership changes, in 1983, Ron and his then wife Marrie founded their own finishing supply company, All-Star Chemical. He continued his successful career and enjoyed working with his sons at All-Star until his retirement in 2013. He is an icon in the plating industry, known, respected and admired by many, having impacted the lives and careers of countless colleagues, both older and younger, customers and suppliers.

After getting married in 1966, Ron and Marrie moved from Cleveland to Westerville, Ohio in 1967 and started a family. By 1976 they had four sons, Jim, Kevin, Brian and Andy. Ron enjoyed taking the family on vacations. He loved the beach, having had two 10+ year stretches of summer trips to both Nags Head, NC and Surfside Beach, SC. Ron was also an avid sports fan. He loved the Cleveland Browns and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Many enjoyed going to those games or watching them on TV with him. Ron also loved College Basketball. He was a regular at Otterbein College basketball games in Westerville and had a 15+ year stretch where he attended every NCAA Final Four with friends. Ron also loved playing sports. He was on countless Westerville softball teams and of course the ~20 year run with the Denny Dotson Automotive basketball team, winning several league championships and likely a few batting titles. Ron and Marrie also had a nice multiyear run of tennis with friends in the Hillcrest Hitters, including a group trip to the Bahamas. He was involved in the Athletic Department at St Paul’s Parish School where his boys attended grade school, and coached a few teams along the way. He also very much enjoyed playing golf with his sons, with Denny, Wayne and the boys in Columbus as well as trips to South Carolina with Bishop, Stamper and the gang. Pop-Pop-Ron, or Pop-Pop-Donuts, as he was known by his grandchildren, also attended numerous grandchildren’s sporting events. He was a popular fan in the crowd. People were always drawn to Ron.

Ron loved to have a good time and always made the party better. His sense of humor will be missed by many. He enjoyed Coors Light, Margaritas and even some Bartles & Jaymes back in the day. He touched a lot of lives. Everyone has a Ron story (or ten). Pop-Pop-Ron, will be remembered as a proud fun loving father, grandfather, a very loyal friend, a mentor, a provider, a teacher and just an all-around great dude.

Left to cherish Ron’s memory are his longtime girlfriend Karen Flanigan, his former spouse Marrie Saas and his four beloved sons and their wives and children; Jim, Elizabeth and Casey of Carmel, IN, Kevin, Lori, Asher and Allison of Westerville, OH, Brian, Margo, Ben, Will and Charlie of Upper Arlington, OH and Andy, Marie & Dakota of Louisville, KY. Ron is also survived by his brother Bill and his entire Cleveland Saas Family.

Ron made it very clear that he would much prefer to have a party in his honor, where people could casually share stories of and about him, and have a good time. The family is working on this plan with details to follow for friends & family.

Donations can be made in Ron’s name to The Legacy at English Station, 13700 English Villa Drive, Louisville, KY 40245, the memory care facility where Ron was provided great care during his last few months or The Wounded Warrior Project, an organization Ron liked to support that takes care of our wounded service members.