Ronald A. Firestone

Ron graduated from Lebanon High School in 1956 and Mansfield University in 1960, where he excelled as Co-Captain of the basketball team and a tennis champion. That same year, he married JoAnn O’Neil, beginning a devoted partnership that spanned 64 years.

Red dedicated 35 years to teaching history at Beaty-Warren Middle School and Warren Area High School in Warren, PA, where he also served as Athletic Director before retiring. In 1965-1966, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to teach at Millbrook Boys School in Southampton, England, an experience that allowed he and his wife to travel extensively throughout Europe. Known for his friendly and fun-loving nature, Red built lasting connections with students and colleagues alike.

An avid athlete and competitor, Red enjoyed basketball, tennis, golf at Blueberry Hill Golf Club, and coaching the Edinboro Off-Campus basketball team. He later found joy bartending at Brandywine Restaurant in Warren, greeting patrons with his trademark warmth. After retirement, he embraced life at Riverwood Golf Course in Port Charlotte, FL, before relocating to Lakeland in 2019.

Red was a Sunday service greeter at Lakeland’s First United Methodist Church and cherished time spent with his family. He is survived by his wife JoAnn; son R. Douglas Firestone (Beth) of Lakeland; grandchildren Adam Firestone (Ellen) of Washington D.C., and Colby Firestone of St. Petersburg, FL; sister Susan Kline (Richard) of Lebanon; cousin Nancy Messick of Coral Gables; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and brother Ernest Henry Firestone and sister-in-law Shirley Buchter Firestone of Cornwall, PA.

Interment will take place at Christ Church Cemetery in Stouchsburg, PA, at the convenience of the family. May his memory bring comfort to all who knew him.