Ronda Cheryl Gillette

Ronda Cheryl (Hendrickson) Gillette, resident of Marietta, Ohio, aged seventy-six years, passed away on Thursday, November ninth, 2023, due to overlapping health complications. Her loved ones remained by her side at Marietta Memorial Hospital until the fourteenth hour. 

Ronda is survived by Donald A. Gillette, her husband of nearly fifty-six years. Their daughter and son, Dawn A. Gillette and Paul M. Gillette, carry her memory and love forward, as does her only grandson, Malcolm A. Longerbeam. 

Born in Astoria, Oregon to Roland “Bud” C. and Anita D. (Hansky) Hendrickson, Ronda was raised at the mouth of the Columbia River; however, she ensured that everyone knew of her Nordic roots, often brandishing a coffee mug reading “51% Finnish.” 

In 1965, Ronda graduated from Astoria High School. Later, she would enroll at Clatsop Community College, where she was the institution’s first woman to earn a degree in Law Enforcement. After serving as Clatsop’s library assistant, Ronda led a twenty-five year career as an insurance agent In Florida and Virginia, where she and Donald raised their children.

In retirement, Ronda became an avid philatelist, collecting and curating an estimated three hundred thousand stamps. She would often display the rarer or more unique pieces in books, showcasing them to friends and family. As time passed, Ronda donated thousands of her trove to Stamps for the Wounded.

Her fondness for animals was never in question. Ronda was the proud owner of seven rowdy, cheerful Beagles. A champion for the vulnerable, she adopted various breeds of homeless dogs over the years and regularly donated supplies to her local ASPCA. 

Ronda had a charitable nature for her own species as well, frequently donating to organizations like public television, Planned Parenthood, and the American Cancer Society. To honor her memory and generous disposition, please consider donating to the ACS or ASPCA in lieu of sending flowers. In keeping with her desire to return home, her family will celebrate her life with a journey to the Oregon coast.