TOPSHAM — Ronald J. Belanger of Topsham, ME, passed away on June 13, 2014. He was born on Aug. 10, 1938, to Mary Jane (Compagnon) and Jerome Belanger in Waterville, Maine.

Ron attended Notre Dame and St. Joseph’s elementary schools in Waterville. He attended high school at St. Charles Borromeo in Sherbrooke, PQ for his freshman and sophomore years and completed his junior and senior years at Waterville High School, graduating in 1956.

Subsequent to graduating, he worked at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT for one year and Waterville Window Company until 1959 when he was accepted in the Sheet Metal Apprentice Program at Bath Iron Works. He spent a considerable portion of his career at BIW in supervisory positions in the “Tin Shop” and completed his career as a Design Supervisor in the design department. He retired from BIW in September of 2009 after 50 years of faithful service.

Ron married Jeannette Gagne of Waterville, Maine, who he met when they were part of a French Play in Waterville in 1957. They were married on Nov. 21, 1959, at St. Francis Church in Waterville and they set up housekeeping in Lewiston, Maine. In 1965 they bought their current home in Topsham, Maine. Since moving to Topsham, Jeannette and Ron have been active parishioners of St. John Church and (currently) St. Charles Church in Brunswick, Maine.

He is survived by his wife, Jeannette, the single most important person in his life for 55 years; and his children, son Dennis and his wife Janet of Milford ,Conn.; daughter Linda Belanger of Boynton Beach, Fla.; son Michael of Topsham, Maine; son Stephen and his wife Andrea and granddaughters Sara and Macy, of Boca Raton, Fla. Other surviving relatives include: sister Jeannine Jandreau and her husband Wayne of Terryville Conn.; sister Betty Jane Rancourt of Winslow, Maine; sister-in-law Theresa Gagne of Waterville, Maine, and brother-in-law Larry Gagne of East Hartford, Conn. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Mary Jane and Jerome and younger brother James (Jim).

Ron was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1956 to 1966, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He was involved in the Jaycees in Topsham for several years starting in 1965, serving as president for a time. In the ’70s he was a member and president of the St. John’s School board and served as treasurer of the (old) Topsham Public Library. He was involved for many years with Brunswick Youth Hockey as a coach and referee. He spent a period of service on the St. Charles Church facilities committee and volunteered for many parish functions. His specialty was as “The potato man” at various food functions.

Jeannette and Ron spent their time traveling and vacationing in later years where favorite trips included going to Florida to visit with daughter Linda, son Stephen and his wife Andi and granddaughters Sara and Macy. In 2010 they splurged on a cruise to the southeast Caribbean with longtime friends Ray and Lorraine Cyr and two other couples aboard the Norwegian Cruise Lines “Dawn.”

A Catholic funeral service will be held at St. Charles Church on McKeen Street in Brunswick, Maine, on Monday, June 16, 2014, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception/gathering in the church hall. Burial will be in the family plot at St. John’s Cemetery in Brunswick at a later date.

If desired, charitable donations can be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuernalhome.com.