Ronald Ralph Shillady

April 2, 1944 - November 9, 2020

Due to COVID-19, The family asked us to make the following announcement. the celebration of Life has been canceled. Ronald “Ron” Ralph Shillady, a resident of Sun City Center, died Monday, November 9, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Ron was born in 1944 in Boston and spent his childhood in Braintree, Massachusetts with his parents, Ralph and Helene Shillady, and older sister, Sandra. He graduated from Braintree H. S where he played on the basketball team and was a pitcher on the high school baseball team as well as Legion ball. Ron was a veteran of the United States Air Force. He saw service in Viet Nam and Scotland. Afterwards, he attended the University of Bridgeport where he met his future wife of 52 years, Judy Burgess. He then transferred and graduated from University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he earned a degree in political science and agriculture. In 1977 they moved with their daughter, Tracie, to Florida, living in St. Petersburg, Seffner, Valrico, and finally Riverview before retiring to Sun City Center. During his life he was a huge fan of the Lightning, the Rays, The Bucs and his daughter’s Florida State Seminoles. He was an excellent and memorable softball coach with the Brandon Leagurettes. He was a member of Rotary Club of Brandon ’86 and worked countless hours in pursuit of Rotary charities and projects. With a smile and mischief in his eyes, he was always up for adventure. He was enthusiastic in all his endeavors including motorcycles, race car driving, white water rafting, hiking, weight lighting, coaching, and market analysis. His grandchildren will always remember him for his playfulness and grandiose stories. He was a whole-hearted participant in life and always said that he was a lucky guy. Most importantly, he was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife, Judy, his daughter, Tracie Spoto (Keith), his grandchildren, Peter, Ronald, Vada and Douglas Spoto, his sister Sandra Pilkington, his sister-in-law Barbara Gregg (Donald), as well as many beloved family members. In lieu of flowers, the family request that you make donations to Rotary’s Camp Florida Inc., P.O. Box 1027 , Brandon, Fl. 33509 or Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 720 Ray Watson Drive, Sun City Center, Fl. 33573. . . . .