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Ronald George Lueth

Jan 19, 2021

Ronald George Lueth, US Navy Retired, died from complications of the Coronavirus on January 5, 2021. A shattered femur kept him in a rehabilitation facility for 106 days. Finally ready for discharge, he instead contracted the virus from a staff member and died at Cape Coral Hospital Covid ICU.

Born in Itasca, Illinois, Ron was the first child of Ellen (Hoppensteadt) and Alvin Lueth. He attended St. Luke’s elementary school and Lake Park High School. After graduation in 1960, Ron enlisted in the US Navy where he had an exemplary 20-year career.

His penchant for organization, strategic thinking, planning and concise reporting soon brought him to the attention of Naval Intelligence. He was assigned to Guantanimo Bay, Cuba, and later to Pearl Harbor Hawaii, where he joined the Flag Administration Unit CINCPACFLT as a Soviet Naval Analyst. In October, 1972, he joined the USS Kitty Hawk while She was on duty conducting missions along the coast of Viet Nam. The following year he became part of âOperation Homecomingã repatriating POWS from North Viet Nam. One of the POWs with whom he worked was John McCain, the late Senator from Arizona.

In a report on Petty Officer Lueth’s participation in “Operation Homecoming” Admiral Kirskey, Commanding Officer of USS Kitty Hawk said “Petty Officer Lueth performed duties with the Navy Debriefing team, assisted with the debriefing reports of returned Navy POWs. The success of this operation, of which Petty Officer Lueth was a most viable and valuable member, was formally acknowledged by a Presidential Letter of Appreciation, together with complementary comments by the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, and Chief of Naval Operations. To place an overall evaluation on Petty Officer Lueth would require a dictionary of superlatives…”.

Ron’s next duty station was at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, as Administrative Assistant to Commander Dwayne Skiles. Ron was the liaison officer between the US Navy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and defense contractor Northrup Worldwide Aircraft Services, Inc. (NWASI), in the planning, facilitating, and establishing a training program for recruits who, upon graduation, would become Sailors in the first Royal Saudi Navy.

While in San Diego Ron received his Associates Degree in Science and Management from Southwestern College. It was also where he met and married his wife Chris, who was the Senior Learning Resource Officer for Northrup. As per the Department of Defense contract with the Saudi government, after 5 years in San Diego, the entire Saudi Detachment would relocate to Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Civilian and military personnel would be assigned to Country for another five years. Chief Lueth decided to retire from Naval Service. He joined the Fleet Reserve in May 1980 and he and Chris moved to Chepachet, Rhode Island.

Once in Rhode Island, settled into the summer cottage that had been in his wife’s family since the 1940s, Ron began a second career working in the nuclear power support industry first with El Cen Manufacturing and later with Tylink, Inc.

It was from Chepachet that Ron acquired the first of his seven Golden Retrievers. Because of his devotion to the breed, Ron established a website-Pet Guardian Angels of America. Pgaa.com became a site of well-researched health, genetics, training, and dog parenting information. It wasn’t long before national rescue agencies and foundations joined in to ensure forever homes for all pets. Thousands of pet owners have utilized the information and services provided by the site. A few of pgaa’s favorite charities included Best Friends’ Animal shelter in Utah, Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue in Massachusetts, the Goldstock Foundation in California, and Canine Companions for Independence in Florida.

Every year over the February school break the Lueths and Desjarlaises would fly to Florida to explore that state’s Southwest Coast, always on the lookout for a permanent place to hang their hats and rods. In 1992 they discovered Bocilla Island, a small islet off the northern end of Pine Island. After several years of watchful vacationing, they finally secured 2 side-by-side cottages on Charlotte Harbor.

The Lueths and their Goldens moved to Bocilla Island permanently in 1995. Ron moved easily into Island life. He managed the Bocilla Island Seaport, the Charlotte Harbor Resort and the Safety Harbor Club on North Captiva Island. He served on the Board of Directors of the Islander’s Landing Community, designed as a shoreport for North Captiva residents. After Hurricane Charlie, he joined other local church and civic leaders to form the Beacon of Hope, a foundation designed to provide assistance and support to local Pine Islanders. He was also the Chief-of-the-Boat for the Bokeelia Salvage Company.

Ronald Lueth is survived by his wife of 42 years, Chris Desjarlais-Lueth, Ed.D.; a daughter Jacqueline (Lueth) Myers of Cosby, Tennessee; a son Michael; a grandson McKenzie, and a great-grandson Lane, all of Allentown, Pennsylvania; his sister Kathryn (Lueth) Ehorn, of Elgin, Illinois; and a brother Michael of Algonquin, Illinois.

He will be sorely missed. Fair winds and following seas, Chief.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Neptune Society of Ft. Myers. There will be a memorial service, hopefully in the Spring, when it is safe for family and friends to gather on the Harbor front to celebrate Ron’s life. Messages and inquiries may be sent to his wife, Chris Desjarlais-Lueth, at chrissydl@aol.com