July 15, 1940 ~ August 6, 2024 (age 84)
Ronald (Ron) Dossman passed away 8/6/2024 at Montereau Retirement Community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ron was preceded in death by his wife Jessie, as well as his parents and brothers.
Ron was born in Welch, Oklahoma on 7/15/1940.
He met his wife Jessie in high school. They were married 2 weeks after they graduated. He was 16 at the time. They drove from the church to Palestine, Texas where he would start his job as a stock boy in the local IGA. He moved up through the ranks quickly, becoming the youngest Produce Manager in the IGA chain.
The family increased over the next 3 years to include a daughter and son, Ronda and Monty.
The family moved numerous times with Ron working at various grocery stores.
Vacations were spent in Maysville and the Arkansas valley. The family fell in love with this area of Colorado and moved to Nathrop in 1970. Ron worked for Public Service Company of Colorado at the Poncha Springs substation. When the substation was changed to unmanned, the family moved back to Pryor and the grocery business. The children graduated from Pryor and went to college.
Les Horner bought the grocery store and started a small chain of 13 stores. 5 of the stores were in Tulsa and became Price Mart. Ron was promoted to Vice President of the chain and worked hard to make them a success.
Ron and Jessie still vacationed in Colorado, and decided in 1987 to retire and bought a cabin in St. Elmo. They loved the place and hiked and cross country skied, using snow shoes to get around. They both hated to noise of snow mobiles and chain saws. Ron chopped all the wood for Jessie’s wood cook stove.
Ron and Bill Moore built the cairn on top of Chrysolite mountain as well as several cabins in the area.
In 1999, Ron & Jessie sold the cabin and moved to Salida. They proceeded to move to Coledale and Canon City, before moving back to Salida in 2010.
As they got older, age started to take its toll. They had both been very active and even walked 2 – 3 miles on the Monarch Spur trail every day.
Jessie passed away March 30, 2020, and, because of the pandemic, there was no celebration of life.
Ron passed away in his sleep on August 6, 2024. He will be buried at Fairview Cemetery in a private service. There will be a celebration of life for both Jessie and Ron at a later date.
Jessie and Ron are survived by their children, Ronda Dossman of Salida, Monty Dossman (Regina) of Tulsa, OK; Grandchildren – Amanda Suarez (Lou) of Owasso, OK and Allie Gage (Josh) of Tulsa, OK; and Great Grandchildren – Elena Suarez and Trey Suarez both of Owasso, OK.
In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to historicstelmo.org or Historic St. Elmo, P.O. Box 282, Nathrop, CO 81236
