Obituary of Ron Spitzer

Ron Spitzer, 81, of Charlotte, North Carolina died peacefully in the comfort of his own home surrounded by his family on March 5, 2020. Born on May 28th,1938 in Jamestown, NY, to the late Guy and Alphid Spitzer. Ron was raised in Lakewood, NY and graduated from Southwestern Central High School in 1956. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer, Second Class Radar Specialist from 1956-1961. His naval tours included duty aboard two destroyers, USS SMALLEY (DD 565) and USS CAPERTON (DD 650), both which deployed and conducted anti-submarine operations around the world. In 1965, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgy from Penn State University and married Joyce Elayne Lewis, his long-time sweetheart, at the university chapel following graduation. This June, Ron and Joyce would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. In the years following graduation, he completed additional graduate courses in Materials Engineering at SUNY Buffalo and Penn State Behrend. During his 45-year tenure in the aerospace industry, he held positions of Chief Metallurgist and Manager of Research and Development with SKF Aero-engine Bearings, formerly known as TRW or MRC. He was a highly accomplished Metallurgist, whose innovative alloy designs were granted U.S. Patents, including the MRC 2001 and others that were used in high performance aircraft engines for both military and commercial applications. In 2006, Ron retired from the aerospace industry. He and his wife Joyce relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina to be closer to their family and grandchildren. Ron was a passionate advocate for conservation and outdoor sports such as hunting, fishing, skeet shooting and wildlife habitat preservation. As an avid hunter and fisherman, he enjoyed educating his children and grandchildren on his love and stewardship of the natural world. This gentle, loving, charismatic man has left a permanent mark etched on our hearts and will be supremely missed by his wife and best friend of 54 years and his children Erik and Alicia. Family was the pivotal essence of Rons' life; he was proud and honored to be the patriarch to our family and played a vital role in the daily lives of his children and grandchildren. Ron will be forever remembered for his beautiful smile, sense of humor, culinary skills, his prowess as a sportsman, loving embrace and unconditional love. Although our hearts are heavy, we will celebrate his life and find comfort that he is in heaven watching over us. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Spitzer and their two children, son Erik (Brooke) Spitzer of Honolulu, Hawaiii and daughter Alicia (Scott) Watson of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is loved and adored by four grandchildren: Timothy and Gregory Watson of Charlotte, NC and Andrew and Addison of Honolulu, Hawaii. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff and volunteers at Novant Hospice who comforted and cared for him in his final days of this journey. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations can be sent to Novant Health Hospice, P.O. Box 33549 Charlotte, North Carolina 28233 or The American Cancer Society. The family will receive friends at Lind Funeral Home from 4-7pm on Friday June 4, 2021. A private memorial service and grave side burial will be held at Sunset Hill Cemetery for the family. Cards can be sent to his wife, Joyce at 5811 McChesney Drive, Charlotte, NC 28269.