Ronald Marcellus Fortune

March 28, 1950 ~ November 30, 2017
Resided in:
Arden, North Carolina
Ronald “Ronnie” Marcellus Fortune died peacefully at the CarePartners Solace Center on November 30, 2017. Ronnie was born on March 28, 1950 to Pauline Sluder Fortune and Marcellus Fortune. He was raised along with his late sister, Brenda Fortune Vaughn, in South Buncombe County. Ronnie is survived by his niece, Kim Christopher and nephew, Marcellus Vaughn as well as many cousins who are descendants of Lure Rogers Sluder and James Merritt Sluder.
Ronnie was a kind hearted and generous man. Having suffered a severe hearing loss as an infant, Ronnie was a determined individual who continued to make friends and communicate through reading lips. As a teenager, Fletcher Academy welcomed Ronnie and that’s where he thrived and made life long friends. At Fletcher Academy, students were given opportunities to work and learn life skills.
Ronnie excelled in mechanics and automobile body restoration. As an avid race fan, he also raced dragsters himself. He remained in the automotive industry throughout his life. Ronnie was upbeat and had a positive outlook on life, smiling and laughing and had a great sense of humor. He was compassionate and tenderhearted, caring more about others than himself.
There will be two memorial services, the first on Saturday, December 23 at 3pm at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian with the family receiving friends one hour prior to the service. A second service celebrating Ronnie’s life and honoring the testament to the resurrection of Jesus Christ will be at his church home, the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Fairview, on Saturday, January 13, 2018. Friends are welcome to come to the worship service at 11:00am, followed by a fellowship meal at 12:30pm with the Memorial Service to follow at 1:30pm. The church address is 57 Cane Creek Circle, Fairview, NC 28730. Ronnie will be interred at Calvary Episcopal Churchyard in Fletcher.
Flowers are appreciated, but for those who choose, Memorial Donations may be made to the CarePartners Solace Center, PO Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813, to Ronnie’s alma mater, Fletcher Academy, 185 Fletcher Academy Drive, Fletcher, NC 28732 or to the NC School for the Deaf, 517 W. Fleming Drive, Morganton, NC 28655.
The world has lost a bright light & positive force.
I have lost a special & wonderful friend, as have 100s of others.
Although we lived almost 30 miles apart, we met in ’66 at the A&H Drag Strip
.
Ronnie was always a ‘hands-on’ car guy, meaning whatever was done on his vehicles was done through his knowledge, skills, tools and hands. That is the essence & roots of his beloved hobby of ‘hot-rodding’ & no one I’ve ever known has ever fit that model more naturally or completely than Ronnie.
But, most representative & remarkable & memorable of Ronnie was how good-natured, unassuming, non-pretentious, genuine, easy-going, low-key, hospitable, peaceful, pleasant, helpful, honest, dependable, steady, solid, self-assured, strong, discerning, quiet-natured witty/funny, very insightful, compassionate, stoic, tender-hearted & kind he truly was.
Ronnie was always an intensely interested & intrigued observer & student-of-mankind & life, giving him an alert, aware and caring understanding of those around him.
Kindly allow me to share a 3- point testimony & summary in closing:
1.) No one was more comfortable in their own skin than Ronnie.
You’ll meet very few such thoroughly ‘self-actualized’ folks in a lifetime.
2.) Try to think of any friend that was always glad to see you & you them.
Ronnie was that person for many more than he would have ever imagined.
When dwelling & pondering the Bible verse that basically instructs its readers to watch that we treat strangers/others well, as we just might well be in the presence of an Angel, and not know/recognize them. I witnessed Ronnie treating the (seemingly few) strangers he encountered as we are called to do.
That was engrained & part of his nature. Ronnie found the Golden Rule easy.
Well, Ronnie would chuckle if anyone accused him of possibly being an Angel, with his playful mischievous streak, BUT I leave you this last heartfelt refection on his too-brief life:
3.) On Judgement Day, as Ronnie approaches the pearly gates of Heaven,
St. Peter from his bench will see him coming & instruct Ronnie, saying:
‘Get in the Express Line, my son’.
May God continue to bless all those fortunate folks who
knew & appreciated Ronnie in life & now mourn his passing.
I am so sorry to hear of Ronnie’s passing. I had known Ronnie for many years through our shared interests of cars and drag racing in the past. He was truly an amazing person who had such a vast knowledge of cars, engines, and tuning them to perfection. I had the fortunate opportunity to run into him at a store in the Arden last Spring and was delighted to reminisce with him about past cars and racing, and to just catch up on the latest car ‘news’.
He looked just like I had seen him last time and had aged well! He was such a pleasant and humorous guy who always had a friendly personality. He will remain as a positive memory as one of my favorite fellow car peers.
I remember Ronnie as a kind soul with a big heart. Prayers for family