Dr. Rev. Ronald “Ron” Konkle, pastor, evangelist, and father passed away, unexpectedly, from this earth and was ushered through Heaven’s gates at 5:25 a.m., July 22, 2018, from his Warsaw residence. He had been fighting Multiple Sclerosis for over ten years and was 66 years old. 

He was born July 21, 1952, in Warsaw, to the late Clarence and Maude (McCracken) Konkle. He graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1971. He also attended Gateway College of Evangelism, in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Theology. Later in life, he further continued his education earning a doctorate degree in Theology and a doctorate degree in Philosophy.

Rev. Konkle proudly served in the United States Army (1972) before being honorably discharged for medical reasons.

On Nov. 29, 1974, he was united in holy matrimony to the love of his life, Sheree Bailey, in St. Louis, Mo. They would go on to share almost 42 years of marriage before Sheree’s death in May 2017.

Immediately following their honeymoon, the Konkle’s traveling from church to church holding revivals. They evangelized for several years and pastored home-mission churches into the early 1980s. In 1983, they took their first of many mission trips to communist eastern Europe, smuggling bibles and Christian literature to persecuted Christians by day and Ron secretly preached in the underground churches under the cover of darkness. They continued taking these “missions” year after year, risking their lives and freedom for the Gospel’s sake. In later years, they took mission trips to the country of India to further spread the gospel to a people in great need. He also held services in his home up until the time of his death.

Rev. Konkle worked at Depuy Synthes, both in research and development and security, for many years, before retiring in 2016.  He greatly enjoyed working with his many colleagues and getting to know each one of them. He always tried his best to know and remember everyone’s name; he wanted them to know that he was interested in them and their lives. Even after his retirement, he would occasionally return to Depuy Synthes just “to see how everyone is doing.”   

He received his call to preach in 1972 and would go on to preach the Gospel up until the time of his passing. He was a true preacher at heart; his favorite thing in the world to do was to preach and teach the word of God. He genuinely cared about people and always looked for an opportunity to bring God into the conversation. His main purpose in life was to point others to Christ and see souls added into the kingdom of God.   

He was husband to one wife, Sheree, father to two children, Daniel and Anna, and friend to many.  Surviving is his daughter, Anna Konkle of Warsaw; three sisters-in-law: Pam (Mike) Edens of Tulsa, Okla., Donna (John) Marsten of Foley, Mo., and Melinda Bailey of New Palestine. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sheree Konkle, May 30, 2017; his son, Daniel Konkle, May 19, 2016, and his parents, Clarence and Maude Konkle Oct. 14, 1993 and June 1,1999, respectively.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 East Sherdian Street in Warsaw. Friends of the family, the Rev. Robert Thompson and Pastor Dwight Fishburn, will officiate.  Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.

Friends may call at Titus Funeral Home from 5-8 p.m., Monday, June 30, and are welcome for one hour prior to Tuesday’s services.

Expressions of sympathy are requested as donations to Ron’s funeral expenses with envelopes available at the funeral home. To sign the guestbook please visit www.TitusFuneralHome.com