Ronald Clarence Gooley, son of the late C. A. “Cy” and Eleanora Gooley was born August 13, 1933 in Spokane, Washington. He died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on January 29, 2024.

Ron grew up in Harrington, Washington, and graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in Spokane in 1950. He and his first wife, Marilynn, married in 1951 and after working for a time on the Gooley family wheat farm, he attended and graduated from Eastern Washington State College (now University) in 1968. He and Marilynn then moved their family to Tempe, Arizona, where Ron earned a PhD in Geochemistry from Arizona State University in 1972. After a two-year, post-doctorate experience at NASA in Houston, Texas, he started his scientific career at the Los Alamos National Laboratories in New Mexico. Soon thereafter, he and Marilynn parted ways and he met the love of his life, Carolyn. After retiring in 1993, Ron and Carolyn moved back to Washington, living in Cheney and later in Spokane.

Ron was passionate about many things. His love for music led him to active membership in the Spokane Symphony Associates. He was a fisherman and a world traveler. He loved cooking and woodworking, especially turning beautiful bowls that are treasured by family, friends, and others who came to own them. He was a voracious reader and loved keeping up with current affairs, issues, and politics. His enthusiastic love for life and learning was infectious and he was a mentor to many. His love and enjoyment of family and friends, and his great sense of humor, made him a fun person to be around. He truly embodied one of his favorite toasts: "salud y amor, y dinero, y tiempo para gastarlo." He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his two brothers, James Gooley and William Gooley.

His long, full life will be cherished in the lives of his wife, Carolyn Gooley. His children: daughters Donna Gooley, Diana (Robert) Meyer, and Lori (Rod) Rieth. Stepchildren: William (Kirsten) Nelson and Linnea (Liz) Garlock. Grandchildren: Carrie Meyer, Alyssa (Ryan) Larsen, Ted (Terena) Garlock, Regy (Jamie) Rieth, Rex (Ziva) Rieth, Raquel (Kale) Frutchey, and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel at Riverview Retirement Community Terrace on April 6, 2024 at 2pm.