RONALD STEPHEN KOLOGI obituary

Ronald Stephen Kologi, 71, a respected Hi-Line science educator, died peacefully at his home from complications of multiple sclerosis on Monday, Sept. 22, 2008.

His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, at the First Presbyterian Church with Pastor John Bruington officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately after the service at the church. Memorial contributions in Ron's honor may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Christian Education, 701 4th Ave., Havre, MT 59501; Bear Paw Hospice, C/O NMH, P.O. Box 1231, Havre, MT 59501, or to a memorial of one's choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Ron was born May 8, 1937, in Great Falls, to Anthony J. and Ethel (Belote) Kologi. He attended Great Falls Public Schools and received his bachelor's degree from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1960. He began teaching chemistry at Shelby High School where he discovered his lifelong passion for teaching. There he met a young student teacher, Beverly Hughes, who he married on Oct. 15, 1966, in Stanford. After their first daughter, Jill, was born they moved to Havre where Ron taught chemistry and advanced honors chemistry. Two years later their daughter, Barbara, was born. Ron continued post-graduate work at MSU-Bozeman, Montana State University- Northern, University of California-Berkeley and Stanford Univeristy/Ames Research Center. He taught workshops throughout the state on civil defense, energy and man's environment, conservation for children, coal development, hot air balloons and model rocketry. For 23 summers he taught the aviation and aerospace education workshop at Northern. He participated in the Pioneer/Jupiter Conference, the NASA Viking Space Probe at Cape Kennedy and the Voyager 1/Saturn Encounter Conference. Ron loved teaching his students, and kept a quote in his wallet that expressed his philosophy, which read, "An educated mind: the great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers rather than fill it with the accumulations of others," (Author Unknown). Ron retired in 1995. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. His interests include fly-fishing, hunting, camping and campfires, wrestling, playing bridge, flying and pepperoni and mushroom pizza served with root beer. He especially enjoyed singing with the Bullhook Bottoms Barbershop Chorus and the church choir. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Montana Science Teachers' Association, Havre Education Association, Toastmaster Club, Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a Blue Horizon 4-H Club leader. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, Tony Lee Kologi. Ron is survived by his wife Bev Kologi of Havre; his two daughters and their families, Jill (Jim) Irwin and children, Bradley and Melanie of Ponca City, Okla., and Barb (Rob) Spears and children, Katie and Treydon of Meridian, Idaho; his sisters-in-law, Cassie Kologi of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Nonnie Hughes of Bozeman, Kathy (Harry) Buckingham of Fort Benton and Betty (John) Sampsel of Stanford; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Dad, you are loved and will be missed always.