Happy Birthday Ronnie!

Ronald Thomas Gilmer - born January 13, 1955 in Wurzburg, Germany.
The photo on the right was his passport photo which was added to my passport.

Jim was in the Army and stationed in Wurzburg.  Ronnie was born in a US Army Field Hospital, but has a German  birth certificate.  He never had any problem with his birth certificate until he was nominated to attend the Air Force Academy his senior year in high school in Paris, TX.  The Academy asked for his naturalization number and we had no idea what that was all about.  We had to go to Dallas for Ronnie to become naturalized!  He went thru the ceremony with all the people from other countries who were becoming citizens that day.  And he got a naturalization number.  He had dual citizenship until he was 21.  I glad he chose to stay in the USA!

The next photo was one he had taken at Curtis School in Ala. when he was age 5 and visiting my parents (we were living in Atlanta then) and he went to school with my youngest sister Carolyn one day when they were having school photos made.
The next photo was made when Ron was in Jr. High School. (I think)

He was elected "Mr. Crockett Jr High" and rode in the homecoming parade with the school homecoming queen.

He played football when at Crockett Jr High.  I think it was about this time that he got a motorcycle (or was it Bill?)   Ron was very active in Boy Scouts and spent several summers working at the boy scout camp in Oklahoma at Camp Dierks.

When he turned 16, we got him a used red VW.  I was so glad that he could help me taxi his 2 younger brothers and take them places.

When in high school, he played football, and was also in the band.  He would change from his football uniform to his band uniform and march at half time with the band.  Sometimes he marched with his football uniform on.  He played a saxophone.

Ron loved to go deer hunting before class and sometimes went to school with his hunting clothes on.  His senior year he let his hair get long.  He was an honor student at graduation.  There was a terrible storm and graduation had to be held indoors, and it was hot and very crowded in the auditorium.  When it was time for Ron to receive his diploma, there was a loud flash of lightning and thunder when they called his name.

Ron started to Tyler Jr College after graduation, and joined the band (so he could travel with the Rangerettes).  After one year at Tyler, and having dropped most of classes before exams, he decided to come home and go to Paris Jr College.   After a stint there, he decided to go to Texas A&M at Galveston to study Marine Biology.   He changed majors several times, and dropped out of school and worked as a boat captain, taking workers to and from oil rigs.  

About this time, he met his future wife, Cindy Simpson, who was from La Marque, TX.  She was attending Stephen F. Austin University in Nacodoches, TX.   They decided to get married and Ron started back to college.  He and Cindy both graduated from Stepen F. Austin.  I think Ron has had a beard ever since he started to college, and often long curly hair. 

The picture below was made thanksgiving 2011when our boys came to visit us. 

Bill, Nell and Ron Gilmer    Nov 2011