Ronnie Eugene Wiley

Ronnie Eugene Wiley, 73, of Fairdealing, Missouri, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 6:40 .pm. at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Although his family grieves his passing, Jesus chose to take Ronnie Home to be with Him where there would be no more pain and suffering.

Ronnie was born on July 5, 1946, at Poplar Bluff to Earl Newton Wiley and Lola Ethel Leach Wiley. He graduated from Doniphan High School, Doniphan, Missouri in 1964. On March 29, 1966, Ronnie joined the Navy and after boot camp, went aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise, in the attack Squadron VA-35, which carried A-6A Intruder planes to bomb Vietnam. He made two cruises to Vietnam over a period of three years, 1966, 1967, and 1968. On the first cruise, He was put in the food breakout crew and on the second cruise he loaded bombs onto the A-6A Intruder planes that bombed Vietnam.

He was released from the Navy on Jan. 14, 1969, to enter college. He attended Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. While in college, He decided to go into real estate and started his own business, Wiley Real Estate. A little later his brother, Carl Edwin Wiley, became his partner.

On June 10, 1973, Ronnie married Connie Fay Zitnak at her mama, Dorothy Della Zitnak’s home in Fairdealing. They were blessed with a daughter, Ronda Renee Wiley Thomas, on Jan. 14, 1977. She later blessed them with two wonderful grand-children, Shiloh Pleas Thomas, born on Oct. 22, 2006 and Reanna Renee Thomas born on April 2, 2017.

After several years when the real estate business became slow in Ripley County, Ronnie and Carl decided to pursue other professions. Ronnie went to work in the Puxico, Missouri post office then transferred to the Doniphan post office and worked there and at Gatewood, Missouri. He later became the Post Master at Oxly, Missouri, where he retired on Aug. 31, 2012.

Ronnie belonged to the Naylor Pentecostal Church in Naylor, Missouri, where he attended for over fifty years. Then he was on the church board and often also helped Connie and Ronda clean and decorate the fellowship hall for special occasions. He loved his church and church family.

He was a devoted husband, Daddy and Paw Paw. He enjoyed going out to eat with his family, especially at all-you-can-eat restaurants and Mexican restaurants. Ronnie was an avid Three Rivers College Raiders and Basketball and Coach Gene Bess fan. He liked horses, southern gospel and country music, and watching old comedy and western shows, and reading Louis L’Amour books.

Ronnie is survived by his wife of over 46 years, Connie Fay Zitnak Wiley; daughter Ronda Renee Wiley Thomas; grandson Shiloh Pleas Thomas; granddaughter Reanna Renee Thomas; and mother-in-law Dorothy Della Zitnak. Also surviving are his brother Carl Edwin Wiley and wife Vianna Lee Wiley, his niece, Carla Diane Wiley Littrell and her husband Elmer Littrell, church family, and other relatives and friends.

Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents Earl Newton Wiley and Lola Ethel Leach Wiley and his son-in-law Ralph Pleas Thomas.

Because of the Covid-19 order, there will be no public visitation or service. A private graveside service with Pastor Donnie Fowler will be held at Fairdealing Cemetery at Fairdealing. Ronnie’s’ family wishes that all relatives and church family and friends could come, but out of caution and safety for everyone, they must follow the coronavirus guidelines.

Fowler and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.