Ronald A. Bayma, 88, of The Villages, Florida, passed away peacefully of natural causes at Cornerstone Hospice House on February 26, 2026. He was born on November 28, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan to Aloysius and Dorothy (Kaminski) Bayma.

After graduating from St. Clement High School in Centerline, Michigan, Ron enlisted in the Navy, ending his active service on the USS Cutlass (SS-478), where he operated and maintained radar, sonar, and communications equipment. He also completed 4 years of service in the reserves. Ron earned an associate degree in electrical/electronic technology from Lawrence Institute of Technology. He then worked as a radar/communications tech supervisor on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in Alaska and Greenland for several years.

Next, a friend from the DEW Line suggested that Ron visit him in Greeley, Colorado. Always up for a new adventure, and ready for a change of scenery, Ron decided to enroll at the University of Northern Colorado and graduated with a B.A. in business administration. After graduation, Ron got a call from another DEW Line friend in Columbus, Ohio, who wondered if he would like to move to Columbus and accept a position as a field service engineer. Ron spent the next 20 years in a variety of field service positions, mainly installing and servicing process control equipment in steel mills throughout the eastern United States, Europe, Mexico, and Venezuela. Ron enjoyed bringing souvenirs home and buying gifts for his family, which he managed to get in his luggage (before the days of heightened airport security). In between his frequent out-of-town and out-of-country work trips, he proposed to Linda Hillis, and they were married on July 1, 1978.

Ron cherished his time with family, especially at his parents’ home in Cedar, Michigan in picturesque Leelanau County, as well as yearly April vacations on Sanibel Island, Florida. He obtained his private pilot’s license mainly to reduce the travel time from Central Ohio to Cedar, a 444-mile car ride. Ron enjoyed driving his tangerine 1970 Porsche 911E, participating in Mid-Ohio Region of the Porsche Club of America activities, shopping at Macy’s and Marshall’s, playing Uno, breakfasts at Bob Evans, assisting Linda in the kitchen, and trying to keep the deer from eating the hostas.

After Ron retired from his field service career, he worked for the Columbus Post Office for a few years, finally retiring for good in 2009 at the age of 71. In 2006, Ron and Linda purchased a home in The Villages, Florida. Upon Linda’s retirement in 2012, they sold their home in Columbus, purchased a condo in Worthington where they spent the summer months, and moved to The Villages in 2014, saying good-bye to snow, ice, and gray skies and hello to Florida sunshine. They felt blessed to have moved to a wonderful area of caring neighbors who became friends. Ron soon joined the Apple User Group, the Aviation Club, the Key Largo Club, and the U.S.S.V.I., a group of former submariners.

Ron was predeceased by his parents, his sister Marilyn, and brothers-in-law Raymond (Spence) Carlson, Bil Hinton, and Mark Carro. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Linda, his sister Susan Hinton of Ann Arbor, Michigan, sisters-in-law Dona (Greg) Weber of The Villages, Florida, and Patricia Carro of Plain City, Ohio, nephews Kyle Carlson of Houghton, Michigan, Corey (Michelle) Carlson of Wake Forest, North Carolina, Brian (D’Jovana) Carro of Hilliard, Ohio, Adam Carro of Nashville, Tennessee, and nieces Kristin (Mike Guzzo) Carlson of Watervliet, New York, Amy (Chris) Thomas of Raleigh, North Carolina, Jennifer (Doug) Johnson of Orlando, Florida, 9 grandnephews and 6 grandnieces, and many cousins.

Ron will be remembered for his devotion to family, kindness, loyalty to friends, and the many lives he touched throughout his long and full life.

Memorial donations can be made in Ron’s name to the United States Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1063, Groton, CT 06340-1063 or to a charity of your choice.

Interment will take place at Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Road, Holly, Michigan 48442, on Friday, August 14, at 12:30pm, with a Celebration of Life to follow.