Ronald J. Shotton

August 26, 1920 – October 9, 2010

Ronald J. Shotton, 90 of Tempe, Arizona died October 9, 2010 at Friendship Village. He was born in St. John, Kansas to Zella Fern Shotton and John T Shotton on August 26, 1920. His childhood was spent primarily on a farm in Satanta, Kansas and he attended high school in Sublette, Kansas graduating in 1938. He married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Rebecca Cook, on December 12, 1940. They celebrated 70 years of marriage in December. Ronald farmed in Kansas till the age of 36 when he felt called to become a missionary. He moved with his family and wife to Anderson, Indiana. He was ordained as a minister of the Church of God in 1960 and pastored two churches in Daleville, Indiana. He graduated with a BA degree from Anderson University in 1963. In the summer of 1963, Ronald and Ruth accepted their first call to the mission field in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. He went primarily as an agricultural engineer, teaching the people in the small villages surrounding Saltillo how to plant crops and farm them. He later became the administrator for La Buena Tierra, a ministerial training center. A common saying, as many have called and emailed, is “He was like a father to me.” Many of the young men and women training to be pastors, were blessed to have him in their lives. They followed with assignments in Panama and Venezuela. Altogether they served almost 20 years in missionary work. After retiring from his mission work, he served as a State Coordinator of Church of God pastors in Arizona. Throughout his life he was a godly faithful servant, who loved his family and others. His grandchildren will remember him as the one who taught them how to ride bikes, building tents in the house for them to sleep in, inviting them to Mexico and Panama for vacations and trips to the cabin in Pinetop. In later years, he was always a source of godly wisdom and support for his children and grandchildren. His warm heart touched everyone. He is survived by his wife, Ruth and four children, Pamela Showell, Greenfield, IN, Rodney Shotton, Mesa, AZ, Susan Turner, Chandler, AZ and Phoebe Ash, Chandler, AZ , nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Also surviving are three sisters and two brothers, Mary Beth Baldini, MidVale, UT, Virginia Sawyer, Salt Lake City, UT, Betty Frye, Pampa, TX, John Shotton, Ponca City, OK, and Victor Shotton, Wilcox, AZ. Services are Sunday, October 17th at Mountain View Memorial Gardens, 7900 E. Apache Trail (Main Street), Mesa, AZ. Viewing will be at 2:00pm with a service at 3:00pm. Flowers or a gift to Hospice of the Valley may be given if desired.