Ronald E. Noton

Ronald E. Noton was born August 14, 1938 in Hanover, Illinois, a farming community near the Mississippi River settled by his family in the early 1800’s. His father died of cancer when Ron was just 3 years old, so he did not have the typical childhood. Ron worked long hours on the family farm before graduating as valedictorian of his high school class.

Ron attended Monmouth College for two years then the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) graduating in 1961 with bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and mechanical engineering. After working for Allis Chalmers in West Allis, Wisconsin for 3 years, he joined IBM and worked in Chicago, Billings, Dallas, and Denver as a systems engineer. He was at the forefront of computer technology. He specialized in installing large mainframe computers for corporations such as Husky Oil, Coors Brewery, and large hospitals around Denver. He received many accolades in his career. He retired from IBM after 29+ years, worked as a consultant around Denver for 4 years, then decided to retire fully.

On Ground Hog’s Day in 1961, Ron met his future wife, Mary Louise Peryam, who was babysitting his nephews. It was love at first sight. They married on June 22, 1963, and raised three daughters. Ron LOVED being a father spending countless hours playing with his girls after work. Ron has seven grandchildren and LOVED playing with and babysitting them as well.

After retiring in 1997, Ron and Mary Louise moved to Encampment, Wyoming where she had inherited her grandfather’s historic house, and they became snowbirds living in Tucson for four months in the winter.

Ron’s real passion was hiking. It began when he and a friend hiked Pikes Peak in 1985, a 14,000-foot mountain (called a fourteener). Over his lifetime, he climbed 48 of the 54 fourteeners in Colorado. He did not climb the remaining six only because they were dangerous requiring technical climbing with ropes, etc. He said he was too old and savvy to consider them!

He spent many years as financial secretary on the Grand Encampment Museum board. He and his wife were avid volunteers for the museum as his wife’s grandfathers and great grandfathers were pioneers of the Valley. They spent a year researching their stone house for it to be granted entry into the National Register of Historic Places.

Ron was also passionate about singing. Ron joined church and community choirs wherever he lived. In his later years, after his wife passed, he and his friend Carol sang whenever they were given the opportunity.

Ron was known by many for his kindness, willingness to help, and even keeled nature. He was a “good man” in the truest sense. He was the primary caregiver to his wife for the last decade of her life. After she passed away in 2022, he moved to Laramie, Wyoming. He was very proud of his Wyoming life and ties. Ron passed away in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 16, 2024, after complications from a head injury after a fall.

Ron was preceded in death by his wife (Mary Louise) and sister (Jean). He is survived by his brother Al (Lois), daughters and grandchildren Linda (Jon—Julia, Megan), Diane (Scott— William, Scott), and Gail (Roland, Larissa, Ashton). He was very proud of his family.

Services will be held at the Encampment Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at 11:00 with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Grand Encampment Museum at P.O. Box 43, Encampment, WY 82325.