Obituaries

Ronald William Tamlyn, age 75, of St. Ignace, Michigan, passed away on June 1, 2026, at home, surrounded by his family. He was born on November 6, 1950, in Cheboygan, Michigan, to Howard “Bubs” and Marjorie (Grant) Tamlyn.

Ron spent his early years in Curtis, Michigan, before moving to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, then ultimately St. Ignace, Michigan, where he attended LaSalle High School.

Ron gained notoriety in the community at a young age. In 1964, at just fourteen years old, Ron survived a devastating electrocution accident that left him hospitalized for nearly a year. He often credited the medical care he received at the University of Michigan for his recovery, and grew up to be a lifelong fan of Michigan State University. Most notably, however, is that this incident that so easily could have ended his story, turned out to only be the opening chapter in a life well lived.

Ten years later, on September 21, 1974, he married his soulmate, Mary Kay Scott, to whom he would remain unwaveringly devoted to for the rest of their fifty-two years. Together they would build a life centered on family and community. They welcomed their first born, Heather Marie Tamlyn, in 1976, and Christopher James Tamlyn in 1981. It is an open secret, however, that his greatest pride was brought to him in July of 2001. While at the same time he was having surgery, his granddaughter Victoria Geldner was born, an event that would cause him to forever call her “Papa’s special angel”.

Over his lifetime, Ron would take on a great variety of vocations, working as everything from custodian to technology instructor, deckhand to tax assessor, just to name a few. Though his career path often forked (and he occasionally forged a few new unpaved paths), he would bring to each position his determination, his sense of humor and his eagerness to lend a hand.

Though it may come as a surprise to some outside of the family, Ron found joy in a wide array of creative hobbies. One of his son Chris’s fondest childhood memories with his dad was “assisting” him while he painted the windows of the family home, and the homes of neighbors, with various festive cartoons for each holiday. Later, Ron would take an interest in following along with Bob Ross on TV while oil painting in his office. But again, never one to follow convention, he surprised the family by taking an avid interest in glass etching, a pastime that produced an electric hum from the Dremel tool that Mary Kay would liken to the sound of a dentist’s drill and perhaps may have contributed to his “art studio” being relocated into the garage.

A man of strong opinions, Ron remained steadfast in his belief that Michigan State games were not to be missed, John Wayne made the best movies and despite any mathematical evidence otherwise, he maintained that cards could, in fact, be “over shuffled”. His memorable habits were not few. He ran on Pepsi, chili, and boneless buffalo wings. He hummed while he worked, he made silly faces whenever you caught his eye, wore overalls whenever possible (regardless of situational appropriateness), and he somehow always managed to leave his baseball cap behind. There was rarely a stranger he couldn’t talk to and never a person he wouldn’t do his best to help.

Much of his adult life would come to be defined by his commitment to community service. Ron dedicated countless hours to organizations and causes that strengthened the community he loved. He volunteered with 4-H Exploration Days, served as a Little League umpire, and played an integral role in the collective effort that brought the Hope Chest to fruition, and would remain involved for over nineteen years.

His public service included appointments and leadership positions on numerous boards and organizations. He served on the Mackinac County DHHS Board by appointment of the Governor, the Jury Board, and the Community Action Transportation Board.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Howard “Bubs” Tamlyn, within the Masonic fraternity, he served as Grand Master of St. Ignace Masonic Lodge No. 369, where he performed various community outreach projects, and could often be seen at the annual St. Ignace Car Show selling pasties and sodas. In 2008, Ron was honored as Mason of the Year and in 2012 was awarded Thrice Grand Master of the Year.

In 2020, he was recognized as St. Ignace’s Volunteer of the Year, by the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce for his numerous contributions to the community.

Ron was a man of faith, though not confined by any single denomination. He believed in people, welcomed everyone, and carried a genuine interest in the lives of others.

More than any title, award, or accomplishment, Ron will be remembered for the lasting ways he showed up for people. His legacy lives on in the family he loved, the friends he made, and the community he helped build. While his absence leaves a hole in our EUP community, his presence will certainly be missed most, once a week, in a wooden chair at the head of the table in the kitchen in his daughter’s house on Truckey Street, where he spent every single Tuesday for the last twenty-three years playing dominoes and Uno while sharing pizza and laughter with his family, where at the end of each night, he would invariably forget his hat.

Ron is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-two years, Mary Kay; children, Heather Tamlyn and Christopher Tamlyn; his special angel, Victoria “Tori” Geldner; mother, Marjorie Tamlyn; sister, Scheri; aunt and uncle, Carolyn and Jerry Collins; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Winfield and Caytee Scott; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Ron was preceded in death by his father, Howard “Bubs” Tamlyn; grandparents, James and Sarah Tamlyn, and Iva and Clarence Grant; and mother-in-law, Janet Scott.

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the St. Ignace United Methodist Church, 615 US-2 W, St. Ignace, MI 49781. The Memorial Service will begin at 11:00 AM with a luncheon to immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hope Chest in Ron's name, 250 Ferry Ln, St Ignace, MI 49781. Gifts will be directed to a special fund established in his memory and used for projects that reflect Ron's spirit of service and community, as determined by his family and the Hope Chest Board of Directors.

Condolences may be given to the family at www.familylifefh.com.