Ronald Arthur Huntley, 79, of Clarkston, passed away Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, after a nearly seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born Sept. 20, 1943, to Helen Marie Ketchum Huntley and Raymond Jay Huntley in Dickinson, N.D. He moved to Springdale, Mont., in 1948, where he attended first and second grades. He moved with his family to Lewiston in September 1950. He attended Lewiston High School, graduating in 1961.
Ron married Betty June Estes on Nov. 5, 1961. They recently celebrated their 61st anniversary. Ron worked for Safeway for a time and the Greyhound bus depot. Ron and Betty moved to Porter Creek, Ore., in 1964, where he worked in the lumber industry. They welcomed their first daughter, Yvonne Carroll, on Sept. 15, 1962. Their son, Michael Ronald, was born Sept. 5, 1963, and passed shortly after birth. Their second daughter, Suzanne Jean, was born Oct. 4, 1966. The family moved back to Lewiston in early 1967, where he began work for Potlatch Forests Inc. He worked with the instrument crew until his retirement in 2000. Ron had a special love for trains (especially Northern Pacific) and HAM radio, operating under the handle KA7EQT. He loved collecting and repairing HAM radios, building electronics such as TVs and computers and loved to golf with his wife, Betty.
Ron is survived by his wife, Betty; daughters Yvonne Clevinger (James) and Sue Farance (Bruce); and sister Alice Peppers. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Joseph and Amber Farance and Jill Hosking; and three great-grandchildren, Gracie Yates, Peyton and Owen Farance. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Helen Huntley; son Michael Ronald Huntley; granddaughter Jennifer Yates; half-brothers Hugh, Gene, Raymond and Phillip Huntley; and half-sisters Julia Beam and Merle Huntley.
Ron attended and was a member of the Lewiston Orchards Nazarene Church for more than 70 years. He served on the church board and was a favorite Sunday school teacher for a number of years. When he and Betty were no longer able to attend, they watched faithfully every Sunday on the church’s Facebook Live presentation. He would have wanted us to ask that in lieu of flowers, friends and relatives consider donations in his name to the Lewiston Orchards Nazarene Church, 347 Thain Road, Lewiston, ID 83501.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Lewiston Orchards Church of the Nazarene, 347 Thain Road in Lewiston, with a luncheon afterwards in the fellowship hall behind the church.