Ronald F. Budzik

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Ronald F. Budzik on September 12, 2025 at the age of 83. Ron is the son of Frank and Cecilia Budzik of Sharpsburg, PA (deceased). He is survived by Fran and Dorie Budzik (brother and sister-in-law), sons and daughters-in-law: Ronald and Amy Budzik, Matthew and Suzanne Budzik, Keith and Karin Budzik and Jason and Christine Budzik; step children and spouses: Brian Hayde, Kevin and Julia Hayde, Amy Hayde and Craig Johnson, Erin Hayde and Bryan Homan; grandchildren: Drake, Claire and Luke Budzik, Maggie and Molly Budzik and Adam Budzik, Isa and Charlie Hayde, Quinn and Sophia Johnson, Kelly and Sidney Homan and his cherished spouse Barbara Hayde, (nee Beckerich).

Ron was a devoted spouse, father and grandfather and a man whose quiet strength, thoughtful leadership, and steadfast commitment left an indelible mark on the Dayton community and beyond.

Ron was more than a civic leader. He was a servant, a builder, and a bridge, someone who understood that progress is measured not just in buildings and policies, but in the opportunities and inclusion they create for people.

In 2013, Ron was recognized as the 63rd recipient of the Citizen Legion of Honor Award from The President’s Club of Dayton, a fitting tribute to a life dedicated to service. But Ron never sought recognition, he simply saw work that needed to be done and stepped forward, time and again, to do it.

From 1983 to 2002, Ron served as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Mead Corporation, where he combined vision with pragmatism to help shape both the company and the region. One of his most visible legacies from that time was helping to transform the empty Rike’s–Lazarus building into what is now the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center—a cornerstone of Dayton’s cultural life and a symbol of the city’s renewal.

Yet perhaps Ron’s most enduring contributions came after his retirement, when he devoted himself fully to volunteer service and civic activities across the Miami Valley. His work touched every corner of our community.

- In education, Ron was deeply involved with the Dayton Early College Academy (DECA), housed at his beloved alma mater, University of Dayton (Class of ’63). He served as Vice-Chair of DECA’s Board and was instrumental in ensuring its students had the opportunities and resources they needed to succeed.

- He lent his expertise to numerous boards and committees: Learn to Earn Dayton, Sinclair Community College, the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District, the Downtown Committee for the CitiPlan Dayton 20/20 Vision, and the Regional Equity Leadership Team of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

- Ron was also relentless in his pursuit of economic inclusion, serving as Consulting Director of the Dayton Business Committee, working closely with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minority Economic Development Partnership to ensure all voices and communities were at the table.

His commitment was recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, which in 2021 issued a proclamation praising him as “a true servant and an incredibly valuable partner of the Montgomery County team and community.”

The Mayor of Dayton likewise honored Ron’s work, noting his leadership in initiatives like the Dayton Foundation Committee on Minority Inclusion and The Greater Downtown Dayton Plan. On July 20, 2021, the city proclaimed Ronald F. Budzik Day—a rare and well-deserved honor for a man whose impact reached so widely.

Through all of this, Ron remained a man of humility, a man of kindness, and a man of purpose. He believed deeply in education, in fairness, in opportunity, and in the power of a community united. He gave of himself not for applause, but for results—for the lives changed, the doors opened, the communities strengthened.

To know Ron was to know his integrity, his compassion, and his belief that Dayton could be greater if we worked together. His life was proof that leadership is not about standing in front, but about lifting others up.

As we say goodbye to Ron, we carry forward his example. We remember a servant leader whose legacy lives in the classrooms of DECA, the stages of the Schuster Center, the work of countless boards and committees, and the very fabric of the Dayton community he loved.

Ron showed us what it means to be a citizen in the truest sense of the word. May we honor him not only with our words today, but with our actions tomorrow.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Holy Angels Catholic Church on Brown and “L” Streets with a Celebration of Life luncheon at NCR CC after the mass.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Budzik-Hayde Family Fund at The Dayton Foundation. All donations to this fund go to local charities and non-profit organizations.