Ronald MacTaggart
August 4, 2020
Ronald Grenfell ”Mac” MacTaggart (87) passed away August 4, 2020 after a 15 year battle with cancer. He was born the eldest of 4 children to Eleanor and Grenfell MacTaggart on March 24, 1933 in Hamilton Township, NJ.
After graduating Hamilton West High School in 1951, Ron served in the US Army in Germany where he was a mechanic during the Korean War. After the Army, Mac served a machinist apprenticeship at the Lewis Research Center (now John H. Glenn Research Center), part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (known as NASA since 1958) in Cleveland, Ohio. Mac was involved in machining development test models and parts for NASA projects, including the early manned space flight missions Mercury through Apollo, and later the space shuttle missions. He was very proud of the small role he played in humankind’s first ventures into space. Mac retired from NASA in 1989.
Mac fell in love with Carole Jean Fissel in 1957. They married less than a year later and had a wonderful marriage of nearly 62 years. Ron and Carole raised their children, Tim and Anita, in Elyria, Ohio where they resided until 1994.
Mac and Carole moved to Florida in 1994. They lived in the Spruce Creek retirement golf community in Marion County until 2006. They have lived with their daughter, Anita, and her family since that time in Tallahassee and then Gainesville, FL.
Ron’s lifelong hobby and passion was golf. He achieved a hole-in-one in 1994, (of course, he was aggravated and amused that Carole had two.) Ron continued to play golf regularly until last year. He was proud that on several occasions he was able to “golf his age”.
He is survived by his loving wife Carole; son Tim MacTaggart and his partner Tammy Pfenning of Troy, OH; daughter Anita Pittman, her husband Stephen and son (Mac’s grandson) Barrett of Gainesville, FL; sister Joan Kozicz of Sebring, FL (and her surviving children Nancy, Johnny & Thomas); brother James MacTaggart and his wife Kai of West Hampton, NJ, and sister Betty Koble of LaFollette, TN. Mac was preceded in death by his father (1980}, and his mom (2005).
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My condolences to Carole and family. Ron was a true friend of many years. Our marriages were just a week apart but our friendship was joined as couples forever. His life was linked to mine through our work at NASA, the carpools and our families. Rest in Peace Dear Friend.
We are so sorry for your loss. We hope you find comfort in your loving memories.
Sending prayers of peace and comfort during this time to your family. There are so many memories to cherish, I know he will be missed.
Dear Tim and Anita, Â I'm sorry for the loss of your dad. Â He and your mom were great friends to my folks and I know they cherished that. Â He will be missed. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lynda (Haywood) Williams
May the fond memories of Mac carry you through this difficult time. I always enjoyed seeing him when he would make it back to E-town to visit my parents. Rest in peace.