Ronald Lee Aungst |
| Posted 2009-04-02 by Sharon |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenubrg, AZ March 12, 2008, p. A10 Ronald Lee Aungst, resident of Wickenburg, Ariz., died Thursday, March 6. Aungst and his wife Anita moved to Wickenburg in June 2000 following their retirement from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. At Sam Houston, Aungst was an associate professor of speech communication. After moving to Wickenburg, Aungst, under the tutelage of the former Mayor Roach Roberts, was introduced to the vagaries of small town politics. Roberts appointed Aungst to be a commissioner on the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He followed that up by appointing Aungst to be one of the Commission’s representatives on the newly formed General Plan Committee. When he was not reappointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission by a new mayor, Aungst set an independent course for himself criticizing the establishment which included the local Chamber of Commerce, the local newspaper, the developer/builder complex, and parts of local government. Aungst felt that the establishment had forgotten what Wickenburg stands for or once stood for. With all of their talk of preserving “Wickenburg…. The above was written by Ron while he was in the care of Hospice of the Valley in Surprise. He did not have time to complete the document. Aungst was born Sept. 28, 1934, in Findlay, Ohio, to Norman C. and H. Oneita Aungst. His degrees of Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Journalism was awarded by Ohio University. His Doctorate in Philosophy and Communication was awarded by Indiana University. He taught in Montgomery County Schools, Ohio; Carthage College, Carthage, Illinois; Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana; as well as Sam Houston State University. His resume also included being publisher and editor of Twin City Journal, Oak Hill Times, and Lee Paper in Indiana. He was also editor of the Tri-County Tribune in Arkansas. The Presbyterian Church has been his lifelong religious preference and he has served the church as an elder, deacon, church school discussion leader and student. In community affairs he has served on the boards of R & R Respite Center and the Wickenburg Community Services. Survivors, in addition to his wife Anita, are his son Aaron and wife Lori Hudson Aungst of Humble, Texas; daughter Andrea Aungst with John Tobin of University City, Missouri; grandchildren Andrew, Ashley and Aaron John Aungst and John and Jack Tobin. Also surviving are his sister Pat Aungst of Bloomington, Ind., numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Memorial services for Aungst will be Friday (March 14) at 4:30 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church of Wickenburg. Memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Deacon’s Fund, 180 North Adams Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390; or to the Hospice of the Valley, 14066 West Waddell Road, Surprise, AZ 85379-8736. Wickenburg Funeral Home has planned the services. Aungst body has been donated to Science Care Anatomical, Phoenix, Ariz. Graveside services at Maple Grove Cemetery, Findlay, Ohio, have not been schedule at this time. |
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