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Community Corner

Healdsburg Residents Gather to Mourn, Celebrate Clarence Rounavaara

A crowd of 375 fills Healdsburg Community Church Saturday to celebrate the life of Clarence Milton Rouanavaara.

 

Three-hundred seventy-five people filled the Healdsburg Community Church on Saturday to attend the Celebration of Life for .

In a , family and friends shared memories; the pastors of the church shared scripture and hymns.

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He was 92.

On Sunday, tables were filled with memorabilia, photos and awards from the life and times of Ruonavaara.

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He lived as a “big man” for his community, wrote one of his two American Field Service exchange student-sons, Marco, who called him “Dad.”

A big man, according to anthropologists, is one revered for “being connected to and committed to his community.”

The letter was one of two read by his granddaughter Annie Ruonavaara.

“One of Dad’s talents was public speaking” said Tom Ruonavaara, one of his sons. “Please bear with me, they say, I’m my mother’s son.”

He recounted his father’s modest beginnings. Clarence Ruonavaara’s parents, Fred and Mary, married young. His mother was only 14 or 15 years old. His father was 18.

“His parent’s didn’t have a lot of education,” said Tom Runoavaara. “But their children had what it takes.

“Dad said they were poor, but he didn’t know it,” continued Tom Ruonavaara.

The family moved to Healdsburg when Clarence was in the eighth grade.

When Clarence Ruonavaara found out that the only baseball team in town was a CYO team, “he became an ‘instant Catholic,’” said Tom Ruonavaara.

For a time while still in school, the three older Ruonavaara boys, including Clarence, lived alone in a two-room cabin in Healdsburg, when their father found work elsewhere.

“Six days a week, they drove a 50-mile paper route and finished by 7:30 a.m. before going to school,” said Tom Ruonavaara.

Clarence Ruonavaara graduated from in 1937. In the fall of 1940, he transferred to University of California at Berkeley. He played varsity baseball there, and got his nickname “Rudy” from the coach. He met his future wife Betty on a blind date.

He joined the Navy in 1942, after signing an agreement with them in 1941 that he would graduate. He became a member of the Flying Golden Bears Squadron during World War II.

After the war, in January 1946, he married Betty. In 1947, he became a social studies and physical education teacher and coach in Healdsburg. He moved from teaching to administration then back to teaching during a span of 34 years as an educator.

After retirement, he went on to work as a weigh master at Geyser Peak Winery for 16 years.

He became a casual winemaker, as well, using “scrounged” bottles from the dumpsters at the after an event.

He also raised and sold about 2,000 tomato plants yearly.

“He volunteered for many things,” said Tom Ruonavaara. Perhaps the most notable was the Lighting Committee at

They sold $21,000 in bonds and work selling tickets and in the concession booth to pay off the debt. The committee spent 28 years taking care of the park until it was given to the City of Healdsburg in 1976.

He, along with Art McCaffrey, started the REIBET Basketball Tournament, which is the longest running tournament in the state.

In addition he was active in the served as a long-term member of the Community Advisory Board, was a SIRS member and active in the

He also spent a number of years, alongside wife Betty, in caring for her mother and aunt. He cared for his Betty as she lost her eyesight. He walked the same three-mile route they had walked until the day before his death.

“His grandchildren think he’s the wisest man in the world,” said Tom Ruonavaara. He indicated that their parents would not disagree with that sentiment.

Ruonavaara brought out the best in people and he was involved in a multitude of activities from clubs to gardening to caring for his neighbors. A number of community members also offered tributes to Clarence Ruonavaara.

“Clarence said to me,'If you look ‘em in the eye, they couldn’t not put in money,'" said "Bicycle Bob" Gemmer of ringing bells for Salvation Army donations.

“We’ll miss Clarence, but he lived his life as an example I’d like to follow,” said Gemmer.

Bob Platt was his next-door neighbor for 50 years.

“We took many walks through the neighborhood together,” said Platt. “We had wonderful chats surrounded by chickens and ducks.”

Platt talked about Ruonavaara’s community service, as well. He also said that he was most excited when he learned the community was

“I’ve never seen him so happy,” said Platt.

“He was humble [about what he did]” Platt stated. “He’d always tell me about the others involved.

“Clarence was a very giving man,” Platt continued. “The day before he died, he gave me dried persimmons.”

Band teacher Lew Sbrana reflected on his relationship with Clarence Ruonavaara.

“What a man, what a life, what a legacy,” he said. He characterized Ruonavaara as “fair, supportive and encouraging.” They worked together on the home and ground committee of the church and they worshipped together.

“He was the epitome of an elder,” said Sbrana.

Another member of the community to speak of Ruonavaara’s life was writer and psychologist

“I’m here because I have a love story with Clarence,” she said. “I’m also here to say thank you to Clarence.”

She recounted a story where Ruonavaara would daily pick her newspaper up out of the gutter, or off the lawn strip and put it on her porch.

This went on from 2006, when she wrote a column about him for the until 2008, when she had to cut back.

Ruonavaara called her to ask what had happened to her newspaper, and she had to confess that she was cutting back. From that day forward, every morning until the day he passed away, he brought his recycled paper and left it on her porch.

He also left her notes, the last one dated Jan. 1, 2012.

“I’ve had a great year, despite two crowns and a root canal,” it started.

“He’d been a paperboy,” said Brown. “He became my paperboy.

“Not only did he think of us,” Brown continued. “He turned it into action.

“He imbued good will into me and into others,” she said. “The paper continues to be delivered.”

Lifelong Healdsburg resident Pat Bean said she had a crush on Clarence Ruonavaara from the time she was 14.

She wrote a touching story about how he remembered her birthday with a jar of homemade blackberry jam.

“I fell in love with Clarence when I was 14,” she read. “He was my hero.

“The greatest gift was the honor of knowing the man,” she went on.

At the end of the service, Fourth District Sonoma County paused to reflect on Ruonavaara.

"I got to know him about seven years ago," McGuire said.

"This is why Healdsburg is so special --because of people like Clarence Ruonavaara," McGuire said. "He walked the talk, putting himself on the line."

Healdsburg attorney and family mediator met Ruonavaara in 1966. She remembered him as her first landlord at 110 First St.

"I'd take the twins to visit him," said Jonas of recent visits with her preschool twin grandchildren. "Because I admired him so much and he told them stories about their dad."

Ruonavaara is predeceased by his wife Betty.  He leaves behind two sons, Tom and Jim and their wives, and four grandchildren.

In addition, he leaves two brothers, Al and Russ Ruonavaara and sister Ann Bynum. He also leaves behind his two AFS sons, Marco and Gunther.

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