Obituary of Ronald Michael dePierro

Ronald Michael dePierro, 89, passed away Thursday, April 23, 2015. Ronnie was born March 7, 1926 in New Rochelle, NY to Nobelia and Pasquale dePierro, the youngest of 16 children and the apple of his father’s eye. Ronnie disliked school and played hookie every chance he could to hang out at the dock watching freight ships. He and several friends (who also played hookie) decided to build a canoe and after six weeks it was finished, ready to be launched. 20 seconds after it launched it sank like a cement truck. At 15 he was a golden gloves boxer after dropping out of school, which prompted his mother to call him +óGé¼+ôThe king of the bums+óGé¼-¥. To prove his mother wrong and sick of hearing he was the king of the bums he enlisted in the Navy. However, being underage both his parents signatures were required; he forged both signatures. After several weeks he notified his parents of his whereabouts. He served aboard the Destroyer Escort 416 Melvin R. Nawman facing not only the enemy at sea but protecting the aircraft carrier USS Anzio. He survived the worst typhoon in Naval history. He was awarded many medals including the Asiatic Pacific Medal with 5 stars, the Victory Medal, the Philippines Liberation Ribbon with 2 stars. After the Navy he joined the US Army and was ordered to Korea. In 1952 he was stationed in Germany where he met his future wife Frieda. She was a railroad conductor and it was love at first sight for Ronnie. Following Frieda home from the train station he was greeted by his future mother in law soaking him with a pail of dirty dish water being emptied from the second floor window. Frieda and Ronnie were married in 1954. In 1963 they adopted a little girl, an orphan who would always believe him to be her hero; he named her Barbara. In 1968 he was ordered to Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Commendation Medal and more medals. In 1971, Ronnie retired from the service and moved to Stratford, CT. He lived there until 1994, moving to Melbourne, FL after his wife Frieda passed away.