FLORIDA – Ronald Craig Sawyer a loving husband and devoted father peacefully ascended into heaven on May 27, 2021.

Born in Portland on Nov. 11, 1939 to his parents Hazel and Clyde Sawyer, Ronald spent his childhood in Windham with his brothers Clyde Jr. and Raymond and sister, Bet. Ronald and his family eventually moved to Central Florida.

As a member of the National Guard Airforce and Army Reserve during the years 1959-1963, Ronald was a transportation specialist responsible for movement of personnel, and equipment.

He is honored for his work in the steel industry devoting 24 years at the local mill alongside his admiring brother, Raymond. During this same time, Ronald enjoyed hobbies such as hunting, fishing, and farming but nothing fueled his passion like harness racing. As a horse enthusiast, Ronald owned, and trained standard bred horses to race at various tracks around the Southern Maine region. His prized horse, Waverly’s Great, raced in many events and was a highly regarded thoroughbred horse. To this day, the Sawyer family continues to harness race fulfilling a legacy of achievement spanning multiple generations.

Embracing nature and solitude, Ronald spent the largest part of his life hunting, and the most memorable times were trips spent with his sons’ Rick and Rob. Together, the three men would hunt in regions as far south as Georgia to the northern most parts of Maine.

Married on Dec. 5, 1959, to Sandra Jean Sawyer, Ronald began the most beautiful love story that would last his entire life. In the early 1960s, Ronald built a home for his new bride and their future family on Dutton Hill Road in Windham. Throughout the years they welcomed sons Rick and Rob and daughters Rhonda and Brenda into the Sawyer family. As their love grew so did their family, and they moved to So. Casco in the early 1970s, and then again to their final home in Central Florida.

Ronald and Sandra enjoyed beach time with their family at Pine Point Beach, in Maine, as well as Daytona Beach in Florida.

Ronald is survived by his sons and daughters Rick, Rhonda, her fiancé Joe, Rob, his wife Anne, Brenda, her husband Dennis; brother Butch, sister Judy, and several nieces and nephews. Ron was the proud grandparent of seven children and great-grandparent to nine beautiful children. He is fondly remembered by friends and family and will be missed dearly.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ∞Matthew 5:4.