Ronald "Ron" Lynn Smith's Obituary
Ronald Lynn Smith (Ron), husband, father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather, and entrepreneur, passed away on December 21, 2023 at the age of 87. Ron’s positive attitude, generous spirit, magnetic personality, driving ambition, and competitive nature inspired all who knew him.
Ron was born in Beverly, Ohio on November 19, 1936, to the parents of Emmett and Alice Smith. He was the oldest of three boys. Growing up in the Appalachian hills of southeast Ohio, Ron had a love of farming after spending much of his childhood on his Uncle Curt’s farm. Throughout his life, he always had a vegetable garden going, however big or small.
To meet Ron was to make a new friend instantly. His love of people, hard work, nature, animals, sports, the movies, reading, and traveling brought him great joy. A friend of Ron’s was a friend for life.
Ron was always seeking the next challenge and adventure. In the 1970’s he attended Harvard Business School. In the 1980’s he did most of his world traveling. In the early 1990’s, while in his 50’s, he climbed the Tetons, reaching the summit of Grand Teton. He raced stock cars, winning many races. He hiked throughout many regions of the world. He made a point to enjoy life.
In the early 1960’s, Ron moved his young family to Fort Myers, Florida seeking out work. In a few short years, he started the first of the 24 businesses he owned, Modern Air Conditioning. The company grew to over 200 co-workers, and was the single largest buyer of air conditioning systems sold in the service and replacement market within the U.S. The successes of that company led him to start the first franchising organization in the heating and air conditioning industry, Service America. This also brought him to Atlanta, Georgia, where he lived for 11 years. Reinventing himself once again, he started RS&A, a consulting and training business, and was in his element; sharing his experience, knowledge, and successes, which transformed the industry. In the late 1990’s, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee when he accepted the position of CFO at Service Experts, one of the first HVAC consolidators. He was able to capture a very large audience in 2007, when he published his first book, “HVAC Spells Wealth”. He would publish more books in the years that followed, both industry-related and on his life experiences. In 2014, Ron moved back to the Atlanta area to continue his efforts in consulting with companies throughout the United States and Canada. During his long and successful career, Ron was the recipient of many community, business, and industry awards, and was proclaimed Father of the HVAC Industry.
Ron married his wife and life partner Betty, in 1969. Ron and Betty shared together four children. His sense of humor, his love of laughter, and his child-like enthusiasm, made him the heart of the family.
A believer in Christ, Ron and Betty were very active in the church, and share many life-long friends who will miss him dearly. He will now join great friends and family in eternal life who left before him.
Ron is survived by his wife Betty, all four of their children, Deb Lannen, Susan Hart, Janie Steamer, and Tim Kizzire, his brother Jack Smith (Lois), grandchildren Joey Brindley, Brian Edwards (Christy), Cindy Brindley, Jenifer Bodzioney (Brett), and Tim Kizzire (Summer). Along with nine great and five great-great grandchildren, six nephews and nieces.
During this time of loss, grief, and sadness, they are comforted by too many memories to count and too many stories to share.
Services for Ron will be held at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens at 1589 Colonial Blvd, Fort Myers, Florida on December 30, 2023. Visitation for family and friends will be between 9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m., with a service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. You can add any personal comments for the family when making your donation on their website, www.alz.org.
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