Ronald Andrew Brandt

Ronald Andrew Brandt of Glendale, OR passed away peacefully early Friday morning, January 26, 2024, at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass, OR. He was surrounded by his loving family members, who offered their comforting touch and familiar voices during this difficult moment of closure. A late FaceTime visit from grandchildren in Greece brought a glimmer of light and a smile to his face from the hospital bed. He will be missed greatly.

Ron was born to parents Andrew and Helga Brandt on September 23, 1943 in the Danish community of Solvang, CA. In the mid-1940's his father moved their family to the Willamette Valley, eventually settling in Bellfountain, OR. His youthful years were spent working on the family's dairy and sheep farm where he learned to be a hard-working, capable, hands-on problem solver. This do-it-yourself mentality was a theme throughout his life. 

As a child, he enjoyed being active in his local Bellfountain Community Church youth group, playing basketball, spending time with his five siblings while hunting, fishing, and hiking the surrounding countryside. In his adolescent years, he would spend his summers picking green beans, later working as a logger with the Parker family. 

Ron married Lindy Larson in 1970, and together they made their home in the small community of Glendale. There, he and Lindy raised a family of four similarly self-sufficient children who are enjoying successes on their own, thanks largely to the stable foundation they were provided. 

He graduated Monroe High School in 1961. After attaining a Bachelor of Science in Forest Engineering at Oregon State University in 1965, Ron became a licensed engineer and professional land surveyor. He served on the Douglas County Planning Commission and was active with the local school board for a short time. The forest products industry was where he spent the majority of his career, initially with the Robert Dollar Company, then Gregory Forest Products, finally retiring from the Swanson-Superior group where he managed the Glendale veneer plant. 

He was DEQ certified in Environmental Inspection, helping to minimize the air pollution side-effects of conventional timber products manufacturing practices, and was involved with the development of more energy-efficient manufacturing processes at the plywood mill, utilizing his engineering intelligence. He introduced bioremediation to the plywood mill as a strategy for mitigating a polluted log pond utilizing beneficial bacteria and enzymes to break down toxins in the soil. He was an intelligent man and respected by his professional colleagues.

At age 17, Ron was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in an era where medical interventions were significantly more limited than they are today. Despite the many challenges that management of this disease brings, he was able to live a long, fulfilling life, thanks largely in part to Lindy and their children; always observant of the tell-tale symptoms when support was needed, and who were willing to step up to meet that challenge without hesitation. Anyone with a diabetic loved one knows that this disease requires great diligence and brings with it numerous difficulties, much improved by a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Ron was proud to have reached 80 years with full use of his legs, and was very happy to see the evolution of blood glucose monitoring technology in recent years.

One of Ron's favorite pastime activities was gardening, where he grew an assortment of fruits and vegetables, storing an ample supply each winter. His three delicious varieties of grape juice are a precious commodity, savored by his family each fall. A steward of his land, he was not often far from a chainsaw, working on weekends together with his sons and daughter chopping countless cords of madrone firewood, helping to fund their college educations, while simultaneously improving the health and vigor of the coniferous timber surrounding their home. He enjoyed monitoring his personal rain gauge, keeping a meticulous record of local rainfall for over 53 years. On rainy weekend days, he could be found gathering fallen limbs, clearing unhealthy trees, and tending to a burn pile; his well worn Levi's jacket confirmed this. 

He was a great father, devoting the majority of his free time to his family; supporting their personal interests was a high priority. He enjoyed driving the family boat on Galesville Reservoir, pulling Lindy on water skis. He actively volunteered in the community as Boy Scout Troop 16 Scoutmaster, supported the local Douglas Foresters 4-H Club, and put his heavy equipment operator experience from his logging years to good use, helping to construct the Glendale City Park little league ball field, the local Elementary School running track and playground. He helped his sons build several impressive skateboard halfpipes, which taught them many valuable carpentry lessons and helped them develop their coordinated athleticism. 

Ron is survived by his wife Lindy, sons Alan (Bend, OR), Christopher (Carbondale, CO), and Nicholas (Los Angeles, CA), daughter Jennifer (Bad Aibling, Germany), grand-daughter Macy, grand-sons Valentin and Lorenz, and his loving furry feline companion, who he often shared his comfortable lap with during afternoon nap time. 

His family would like to thank Dr. James Giesen, Dr. Kyle Haggerty, and the rest of the medical staff at Asante Critical Care Unit for their attentive and compassionate care. The family is grateful for Chaplain Sandi Richard who offered her thoughtful words that helped them navigate this difficult conclusion.

A celebration of life is planned for Friday, February 16, 2024, 2:00 pm, at Stephens Family Chapel in Grants Pass (1629 Williams Hwy).