July 30, 1941 ~ November 17, 2016
Ronald Mack Roop, 75, of Caldwell died Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the SumnerCountyHospital in Caldwell, Kansas.
Ron was born to Ernest Morton Jr. and Ramona Roop on July 30, 1941 in a farmhouse north of Ford, Kansas. He attended Ford public schools and graduated in 1959. He worked at his parents’ grocery store while growing up. He also farmed, ranched, and loved to play all sports while in school. His claim to fame was that he was a 1959 BB 1st team all-state basketball player.
He met the love of his life, Nancy Thompson, at a dance in Protection, Kansas in 1963. They continued to date and were married August 14, 1965 in Coldwater, Kansas. They had two sons, Mike and Aaron.
After their marriage they moved to Ford where he worked at the Ford Co-op, officiated high school basketball games, and joined the Army National Guard. This all changed when a good friend convinced him to go back to school. He then attended St. Mary’s of the Plains in Dodge City and graduated in 1970.
In the summer of 1970, they packed up and moved to Caldwell to pursue careers in education. Both Ron and Nancy took jobs teaching at Caldwell and Ron also became a coach. Their plan was to teach at Caldwell a few years and then move on to a better opportunity. They fell in love with Caldwell and continued to touch children’s lives until they retired in 1998. During his career, he completed his Master’s degree from Northwestern University. While at Caldwell, he was an all-star coach. In fact, he was named coach of the year in 1985 in boys’ Track and Field. He coached the 1978 girls’ Cross Country team and the 1985 boys’ Track team to state championships. He was always proud of his athletes and talked about them endlessly. He also had a gift of reaching students and encouraging them to go out for sports, especially track. It was common to see Caldwell pull up to a track meet with two full buses ready to compete. On Ron Roop’s teams everybody participated and was special.
While in Caldwell, Ron and Nancy became members of the UnitedMethodistChurch. He also was a 50 year member of the Masonic Fraternity of Dodge City, Kansas.
Upon retirement, Ron and Nancy talked about traveling but their longest trips were frequent stops at Moscow and El Dorado to watch their grandchildren’s activities. Along with enjoying his family, he loved music, restoring vintage automobiles, sports, mowing, talking, and making his places look clean and neat.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Morton Jr. and Ramona Roop and nephews Travis Gracey and Garth Roop.
In August of 2015, Ron celebrated 50 years of marriage with his devoted wife Nancy. She survives of the home. He is also survived by his son Mike and wife Teddy of El Dorado, and son Aaron and wife Stacy of Caldwell. He was grandpa to five wonderful grandchildren – Taylor, Breck, Keeley, Phoebe, and Brodi. He is also survived by his sister Betty and Rodger Gracey, and daughter Marnie and family; brother Alan and Ellen Roop, and children Lori, Tobin and Garrett and families; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Ron will be remembered for his ornery disposition, his devotion to family and friends and his love of Caldwell and all children. He will truly be missed.
Memorials may be given to the Ron Roop Memorial Scholarship or the United Methodist Church of Caldwell.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 20, 2016 at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Caldwell, Kansas.
Leave Condolences
Condolences
Condolences
Michael D Schmidt - 11/17/2016
Mr Roop had such a positve influence on many Caldwell students over the years. What a great person!
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Coach Roop
Randy Webster - 11/17/2016
My deepest thoughts and sympathy are with the Roop family at this time.
Sincerely, Randy
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Condolences
Kristy Goodman - 11/17/2016
Nancy, Mike, Aaron and family, so sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Roop. I will always think of him fondly, his stories, jokes, motivations, he was a one of a kind and will truly be missed. Prayers going up for you all during this difficult time.
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Mr. Roop
Paula Newsome - 11/17/2016
My thoughts and prayers are with all of the family. He was so loved by many and I'm sure we all have fond memories of him. I know I do.
Sincerely,
Paula (Duvall) Newsome
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Another great man among men.
Charles Tyler - 11/17/2016
Another great man among men. People always say they broke the mold after this one. No truer words have been spoken about this man. Rest in peace coach. God Bless you.
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Nancy and family
Dave and Peggy Ginn - 11/17/2016
Ron was a special man and I enjoyed teaching with him and always enjoyed his stories as we supervised students. He will be missed but has been welcomed to a pain-free place. Our love and prayers are with you all
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Mrs. Roop, Mike, Aaron, and
Jodi Jenista - 11/17/2016
Mrs. Roop, Mike, Aaron, and families,
One of the most amazing men I have ever met has gone to be with the Lord. There never seems to be the "right" words to say so I will simply say I am so very sorry. Mr. Roop was one of the very BEST parts of Caldwell and I am so glad you all shred him with us.
Much love to you all,
Jodi
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When I heard the news it was
Kevin Brown - 11/17/2016
When I heard the news it was a shock. I think I speak for many when I say Mr Roop had a great way about him that connected to many kids. He was a great teacher, coach, mentor, and man!! He also always had a great sense of humor. I remember him teaching us how to drive on the highway and said " Everyone hold on I am going to show you how to drive into a ditch and back out" He proceeded to scare the crap out of us by drving into the ditch and back out. Will never forget that. Prayers for the entire family
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MR. ROOP will be greatly
Albert Jelinek - 11/17/2016
MR. ROOP will be greatly missed he was a great teacher very good friend always asked how you were doing, always offered advice and would jump in and help no matter what you were doing.
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Ford High Grad (R I P)
larry trebilcock - 11/18/2016
Ronnie was a cheerful person that loved to help the town and to keep it clean. I remember how he took on cleaning up the tennis court so others could enjoy it. I had the pleasure of playing sports with him. He excelled at all. I remember him telling the story of the boys diving off a plank at the mullberry creek bridge. Clem was about to dive when a car drove up (Clem was in his birthday suit) two ladies sat and watched as he dove. I can hear Ronnie tell this story to this day and his laugh. You will be missed my friend. Salute to a former Ford High Grad. Sincerely Larry Trebilcok
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A life well lived
Rick Townsend - 11/18/2016
So many good things can and are being said about "Mr. Roop". I feel that we have seen in him, a life well lived. His kindness and acceptance of people, despite their position in life, was without prejudice. I saw in him the ability to not only connect with anyone, but to also touch them and raise them up where they might be needing a little help. We have lost a good man and feel sorry. To Ron's family; we share your sorrow and also will miss him.
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Great Coach, Teacher, Mentor, Friend
Erica Ender - 11/18/2016
What a wonderful man! He taught me how to change a tire - I still remember that like it was yesterday. He taught me the parts of a cars motor - enough to beat the guys on a quiz and how to run hills when I was dog-tired - even though he always said he knew how to motivate me to get me to run more, I honestly ran just because I really liked and respected him. We had some great talks over the years and I loved running into him at the convenience store on the rare occasions I've visited - he sure could make a person smile. What a great legacy! He will be deeply missed!
And for Mrs. Roop, just a note because we always make these comments after someone has left us and they never know how we feel/have felt about them, but I remember how great you were teaching me how to cook and sew. You were one of the most patient and understanding teachers.
Not many people touch our lives, but you and your husband sure touched mine. You made me feel like I was family, even if only at school/sports. I did get a chance to tell "Mr. Roop" what he meant to me a couple years back and though he may not have remembered, I did truly think he was a GREAT person and so are you.
Prayers for my classmate, Mike, his brother Aaron and the extended Roop family. Lots of love.
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Dear Nancy
David and Carol... - 11/18/2016
We are so sorry to hear of a Ronnie's passing. We have fond memories of him from our time in Ford. He always had a smile and was fun to be around. You all are in our thoughts and prayers at this time. There is a saying that you should live your life so that when you die others will weep, but you will rejoice. I think Ronnie did that.
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Mrs. Roop and Family
Mandy Bumgardner - 11/18/2016
When my parents called me with the news of Mr. Roop's passing I was heartbroken. So many memories of Mr. Roop ran through my mind. He always had a way to make every person around him feel special and important. He always listened to you when you needed to talk and could make you smile on a bad day. I graduated in 1998 and my class was fortunate enough to have Mr. and Mrs. Roop for our class sponsors. Honestly, we couldn't have had two better people to look out for us, influence us, and help us through our high school years. Mr. and Mrs. Roop touched each and every one of our lives and remained very patient at times when others would not have. I consider myself very blessed to have known him and to have had him rooting for me throughout many events in my life. He always was able to pull the best out of me, even when I felt like giving up. He always made sure that I knew that no matter how hard something was, I just had to keep going. That is advice that is unforgettable, just like Mr. Roop. Mr. Roop holds a special place in my heart and he will truly be missed by all. Mrs. Roop, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I love you and the class of 1998 loves you. Thank you for everything that you both have done for me and for the class of 1998. WE ARE ALL A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE YOU BOTH TOUCHED OUR LIVES IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY.
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Mr. Encouragement!!
Russ Ginn - 11/18/2016
To the family, I am so sorry for your loss. To the town of Caldwell, I hope you find someone to carry on Mr. Roop's never ending encouragement for the kids. He was a great source of energy and enthusiasm for me and I really am blessed to have had him as a coach and teacher. God bless you all.
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30 Years of touching lives in Caldwell....
Danny & Amy Shoffner - 11/19/2016
For more than 30 years, Ron Roop touched Caldwell students lives. He pushed when he knew he needed to push and always encouraged. If he told a trackster they had to finish the meet with a leg of the 4x400, there may have been grumbling, but when the race ended, there was respect for each other. Mr. Roop always had a kind word to everyone and often words of advice. He had state champion teams and athletes. He also had athletes that never placed or got a medal. But his kindness and care was the same for each student athlete. Each was encouraged to work hard and do their best. That is a gift he gave to our community.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Tim 4:7
What a loss to family and community!
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Prayers for the whole family!!
Valerie Brunhoeber - 11/19/2016
I will never forget the silly horse stories he would tell me and how he would joke around with me about horses. Knowing I was a very active horse person myself. I will sure miss him!! ~ Valerie
Love ((((HUGS)))) and prayers to the whole family!!
The Brunhoeber family~ Mike, Valerie, Shelby and Shyra
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To Coach Roop's family,
Sarah Powell Griggs - 11/20/2016
To Coach Roop's family,
My deepest condolences to your family. Coach Roop was one of greatest role models in my life. As with other students that he taught and coached I am sure they feel the same way. He had knack of reaching the students that others could not reach, bringing out the greatness within them. He will forever be in our memories and will be missed. My thoughts and prayers our with you.
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I'm so sorry to hear of the
Dianna webster-... - 11/20/2016
I'm so sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Roop.
He was a great teacher, coach, and person.
Prayers to the family.
Dianna Webster-Calvin
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Ron Roop was my favorite! He
Jen Kern - 11/20/2016
Ron Roop was my favorite! He was one of those guys who made you feel important and gave you confidence to do anything you wanted to do. As I looked around at his funeral today and listened to story after story of my favorite coach, I thought hmm. I was just sure I was his favorite! But it looks like he can make lots of people feel that way, which is such a gift! I have a feeling that his sons, who he is so proud of, are the same way. I wasn't a very fast runner, but he always insisted that I go out for cross country. One year, I thought I might try volleyball and the whole team showed up at my house at 5:00 am and made me get up and run! He always took us out to the red hills and followed us into town with his old truck, honking if we went too slow. Once we tried to cut across a field, but the joke was on us, because it was muddy and we ended up getting in up to our knees with mud and having to run the last quarter mile with wet and muddy shoes. In track one year, I remember him working it out so that I would get a #1 Medal in the mile-I was the only one running it! I think he gave me as much advice on boyfriends and life as my own parents did. Love that guy!
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"Coach of the Year" Ron Roop
Tim Schmidt - 11/21/2016
Ron Roop was a wonderful coach and Person. He did more than just coach sports, he coached people about life. He was one of those people who had that John Wayne "True Grit" Spirit and was never affraid to face fear and stand up for what was right. To many of us he was like a second father. Always trying to guide you down the right path. He was a very liked and respected person all around CHS and the community. His passion and committment made me a better athlete and a better person. I will always remember Coach Roops smile and laugh. He truely was a Special Kinda Guy! Nancy, Mike and Aaron, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
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Just heard the News
Stuart Johnson - 12/05/2016
I was just in Caldwell last weekend. Saw Mike and Nancy in the Red Barn. Told several stories about Mr. Roop. I am back in Houston and just received my Messenger. I was shocked to see his obituary. I am so sorrowed to hear of the passing of such an infuential man in Caldwell. Through teaching, coaching, working on cars he taught me a world of life skills that I still use to this day. I wish his family comfort in the knowledge that Ron touched so many lifes in such a positive way. He will be greatly missed. SG Johnson.
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What a man!
Steve Adams - 04/11/2017
Ron Roop was a molder of people. He made everyone feel like they could do anything. He believed in people and that made them believe in themselves. He was definitely one of a kind and the type of person we need more of in this world. My heart goes out to the Roop family, as well as the whole community, as they deal with the loss of a great asset and great human being.
