Obituary:
Francis (Frank) Griffin Ronnenberg of Naples, FL died peacefully at his home, with his wife by his side, on November 23, 2010. Frank was born December 13, 1930 to Alice Griffin and Francis E. J. Ronnenberg at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. However, he always said he was born in Brooklyn. He grew up in White Plains, NY and graduated from White Plains High School. Frank attended the University of Notre Dame where he graduated with a degree in Economics. He played baseball in high school and college as a pitcher and his love of baseball culminated with his six years as head coach for the Jays of the New Castle, NY Little League Organization. He attended Notre Dame on a full Navy scholarship, graduating in 1952. The next three years he served as Lieutenant, PAC FLT in the Pacific theatre, during the Korean War, on the Destroyer USS O’Brien. Immediately following his time in the Navy he joined the Merchant Marines. In 1955 he began as a Sports Reporter on the night desk for the White Plains, NY “Reporter Dispatch.” In 1956 he joined the Reader’s Digest. He worked in Southern California, where he began his career as a District Salesman. He was the Subscription Sales Manager in Montreal before returning to the Digest headquarters in Chappaqua New York in 1964. Under his direction Reader’s Digest became the first magazine in the United States ever to top $100 million in subscription sales in a single year. Frank was a pioneer in the field of direct marketing and held the position of Vice President of Data Processing until his retirement in 1990. During his career he served on the board of The Direct Marketing Association, Phelps Memorial Hospital (Tarrytown, NY), Mt. Kisco Country Club (Mt. Kisco, NY), Quail Creek Country Club (Naples, FL), Reader’s Digest Latin America, Reader’s Digest Canada, Reader’s Digest Australia. He was Chairman of the Board of the Arts Council of Westchester County and Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, NY). He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Westchester County Association and a member of the Westchester County Charter Revision Study Commission.
His commitment to education was a life long passion. He chose to further his own education rather than accepting an opportunity to play professional baseball in the New York Yankees organization. This commitment to education led to an Honorary Doctorial Degree from Mercy College in 2009. He lived a faith-based life as a devout Catholic. He was an active member of the Knights of Malta. Frank is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Mary Ellen, his children Jennifer Browne, Kathleen Ronnenberg, Barbara Ende, Madeline Mullikin, and Francis James; his daughter-in-law Sarah Ronnenberg; his sons-in-law Pat Ende and Bill Mullikin; his grandchildren Molly, Ian, Will, Lindsay, and Celia; his sisters Elizabeth (Betty) Brown, and Joan Nash; his brothers–in-law Jack Brown and Mike Nash; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. A funeral mass will be held at St. John and St. Mary in Chappaqua, NY.,on Monday December 13, 2010 at 10:30 AM. There will be visitation on Saturday, December 11, 2010, from 2:00 – 6:00 PM; Sunday, form 3:00 – 6:00 PM at Beecher Funeral Home in Pleasantville. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to the Mary Ellen & Francis G. Ronnenberg Legacy Society at Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, New York.
|
