Ronald Thomas Cantwell, 66, of The Villages, Florida, and a former
longtime resident of Waterbury, passed away on Wednesday, October 20,
2010. Born in Philadelphia, PA, on November 16, 1943, he was the son of
Thomas Edward and Mabel (Barrett) Cantwell. On July 31, 1965, he married
the former Penny Sabin at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, TX.
Ron was a 1961 graduate of Triton High School in Runnemede, NJ, and then
joined the U.S. Air Force. He served at Phan Rang Air Base during the
Vietnam War for a year on a rescue chopper where he flew over 80 combat
missions and, following his war service, was stationed at Andrews Air
Force Base where he served as crew chief for the chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
Ron was a very proud Irishman and veteran. He dedicated many years of
service to the Waterbury Volunteer Fire Department and the Waterbury
Ambulance Service where he loved his role in helping people. He was a
member of the Harry N. Cutting American Legion Post 59 of Waterbury and
was a lifetime member of the Vietnam Veterans Association and the
Waterbury Fire Department. Ron was a workaholic and wasn't happy if he
wasn't doing something productive every day. He owned and operated
Cantwell Jewelers in Waterbury for over 17 years. He and Penny retired
to Florida but traveled north to watch his grandsons play sports as
often as he could. His grandsons were the apple of his eye. He enjoyed
teaching them gardening, stamp and coin collecting and history.
Ron is survived by his wife of 45 years, Penny Sabin Cantwell of The
Villages, FL; two sons, Ronnie Wayne Cantwell and his wife Chrissy and
their two sons, Justin Thomas Cantwell and Jacob Paul Cantwell, of
Waterbury Center, and Kevin James Cantwell and his wife Robyn of
Orlando, FL; his sisters, Lynn Tomlinson and her husband Bob of The
Villages, FL, Dawn Esposito and her husband Bob of Michigan, Val Dalton
and her husband Joseph of Arizona, and Denise Bicknell and her husband
Jim of New Jersey; a brother, Doug Curry of Arizona; his sisters-in-law,
Peggy Anderson of The Villages, FL, Patty Harvey and her husband Jim of
Duxbury, Polly Sabin of Waterbury, and Pam Merchant and her husband
Dennis of The Villages, FL; his brother-in-law, James Sabin and his wife
Alice of Moretown; a dear friend, Carla Lawrence of Waterbury; as well
as many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held from the Waterbury Congregational Church
in Waterbury on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at 1 p.m. with a reception
to follow in the church dining room. Friends may call at the
Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury on November 12 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The family requests that flowers be omitted; rather memorial gifts
would be appreciated to the American Heart Association
(www.americanheart.org.) or to the Waterbury Firefighters Association,
51 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 05676. To send online condolences
please visit www.perkinsparker.com.
