Ronald Sheldon Bujdoso, also lovingly known as ‘The Woodchuck,’ or ‘Big Ron,’ 80, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, Dec. 16th, 2023, at the St. Elizabeth Hospice Care Center in Edgewood, Kentucky in the presence of loved ones. Ronald could only be described as larger than life – a man of the 21st century with an absolute intolerance for any social injustices.
Second born child of Joseph and Theresa (née LeFebvre) Bujdoso on October 18th, 1943, in Cleveland, Ohio. Brother to Carol and Judy, he grew up playing accordion and fishing – a life-long favored past time that he passed down to his children and grandchildren.
A man of many talents with a knack for meticulous attention to detail, Ron would have made a remarkable attorney, he also had on occasion expressed a quiet aspiration to study piano. After high school, he joined C&O Railroad in 1962 as a Brakeman. He then worked his way up and was promoted to Conductor. C&O Railroad eventually went through a merger with B&O on April 30th, 1987, then was acquired by Chessie Transportation Systems August 31st, 1987, all with Ron staying on steadfastly as a constant source of leadership with the organization and eventually becoming part of the CSX Railway Line through all iterations of the business.
In 1964 he met the love of his life Patricia (née Hill) Bujdoso at a Frisch’s Big Boy. He often recounted he was exceptionally drawn to Patricia as well as her Buick Skylark convertible, and how lucky he was to have met her. They were married on March 6th, 1965, and started their family in Mount Healthy. Eventually, a brief move to North College Hill, and then finally settling in Highland Heights, Kentucky with their three girls Melisa, Martina, and Michelle.
Happily married for over 58 years, the pair created a life together full of adventures to Florida, raising their family and proudly reveling in all the things that come with parenting – Girl Scouts trips, Campbell County Band of Pride Box Parents, and his unwavering influence and encouragement of independence in his girls. Above all he wanted each of his children and grandchildren to get a quality education. He worked tirelessly to give his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild more than he had growing up.
In the late 60’s he was elected as the youngest Local Chairman for 1377 C&O, in the history of the local union, and served for more than 20 years. Later he went on to be elected to serve a term as General Chairman for the United Transportation Union in Huntington, West Virginia as well. Ron was an ardent advocate for his fellow rail workers. He helped secure healthcare for families with unique dynamics, supporting access to drug and alcohol dependency treatment programs for his colleagues in need, as well as working to ensure career advancement and salary guarantees for leadership and development of his fellow union members.
It was also on the railroad where he met his very best friend — essentially a brother, Charles “Butch” Boling. The pair worked together for over 40 years on the railroad, and never missed a 4th of July together to light off bottle rockets and get their families together.
Retiring in 2005, with a desire to stay busy and spend more time with family, you could find Ron remodeling any one of his children’s or nieces’ and nephew’s homes. Frequently making cross country trips with all of his tools in tow – yes, even a table saw, loaded up in his pickup truck, ready to refurbish a home from top to bottom because he never did anything halfway. Butch even joined him for a remodel in SLC, UT one year. Ron and Pat would intersperse trips to Florida to spend time with his in-laws and go deep sea fishing catching anything from bass to 7-foot-long sharks. Teaching each of his girls how to shark fish was an absolute point of pride for him.
A self-taught master woodworker crafting furniture for loved ones and family friends. There also has been no shortage of neighbors who have kindly recounted stories of Ron helping them fix the odd project around the house. He created custom cabinetry, breakfronts, hutches, coffee tables, and a set of bunk beds for his beloved granddaughters. If you own a piece created by him, you have a curated work of love and labor crafted with the utmost of care. And it’s probably extremely heavy. Ron would joke that he never made anything weighing less than 100lbs.
The weight of his works very appropriately matched his immense presence. At the core of his being, he was a man who had an all-consuming love for family. He would take his children’s and grandchildren’s successes – as well as limitations personally, as only a parent who loves that wholly and fiercely can. He was their greatest champion, with a dash of equally high expectations. He spent his last years endlessly toiling to ensure he gave as much of himself in wood working, building a deck for a stock pool spending time with family, navigating a grandchild’s move, updating the home he shared with his wife, Pat, and organizing his affairs to the best of his ability so that nothing was left to chance. His final acts to take care of his family as fully as he possibly could.
Remembered also for his love of music, the dulcet sounds of Luther Vandross, Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, or Simply Red while at full volume in the garage– would seep through the walls and floorboards of the rest of the house as he cut lumber, or stained and finished a bookshelf or cabinet of some sort. Ron was a consummate foodie that could never pass up perfectly prepared eggs benedict or Pat’s Chicken Paprikash and chocolate cake. He also loved working on the family tree, and delving into the nuances of the family genealogy looking to outline the story of those who came before and build legacy for those that have and will come after him.
Ron is proceeded in death by his mother and father – Theresa (née LeFebvre) and Joseph Bujdoso. He is survived by his loving wife Patricia (née Hill) Bujdoso, and his daughters Melisa Aljamal, Martina (Kurt) Schneider, and Michelle Bujdoso; his grandchildren Allyssa Bujdoso, Jordan Lucas (Joey Milburn), Eleanor Bujdoso, and his great grandchild Blakely Milburn. His sister-in-law Karen (Thomas) Deinert. As well as his sisters Judy (Richard) Jansen, and Carol Huber. And numerous nieces and nephews.
Ron will be interred at Alexandria Cemetery. There will be a small family service as we “Celebrate Him Home” on Thursday, December 28th, 2023. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Elizabeth Hospice Care Center of Edgewood in his name or at: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/QujcCw?vid=1336zj
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