Ronald Foster Ober

Ronald Foster Ober, age 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Milford Regional Hospital in Milford, Massachusetts, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, on April 21, 1941, to the late Albert P. and Catherine A. (Scanlon) Ober.

Ron spent his childhood in Franklin, Massachusetts, before his family settled in Walpole. As a boy, he discovered his passion for skating and quickly fell in love with the ice, often playing hockey with his trusty stick. He brought his talents to Walpole High School, where he played on the 1958 New England Championship team as a senior, and proudly scored the game winning goal in the Championship game. After graduating in 1958, Ron took courses at Clarkson College in Potsdam, New York, but a year later, he returned to Massachusetts to complete his bachelor’s degree in business at Boston University, graduating with the Class of 1962, followed by his Master's in Business Administration.

Ron married his wonderful wife, Joanne E. Buck, on August 18, 1962, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Walpole. The young couple first made their home in Morrisonville, New York, where Ron started his teaching career at nearby Saranac High School. About a year later, they returned to their hometown, initially living in South Walpole before settling in Norfolk.

Ron’s teaching career really took off in Massachusetts, where he taught business courses at various schools over the years. He spent time teaching at Avon High School and Canton High School before accepting a position at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham. While at King Philip, he helped start and advise the DECA program in 1971, and was later promoted to Vice Principal. Ron then changed careers, taking his passion for education to work in the sales of textbooks as a sales representative for Southwestern Publishing. He later returned to the classroom, teaching in Plymouth Public Schools at Plymouth North and Plymouth South High Schools, where he retired. Ron went on to teach inmates at the Dedham House of Correction and served as the accounting instructor at the Funeral Institute of the North East in Norwood.

Outside of work, Ron was an outdoor enthusiast and a member of several clubs, including the Walpole Sportsman’s Association, Wrentham Angler’s Club, and Holliston Sportsman’s Association. His love for animals was just as strong—his home was always filled with pets like dogs, ponies, miniature horses, pygmy goats, chickens, parakeets, Bengal cats, rabbits, Vietnamese potbelly pigs, donkeys, and even a cow. As part of the New England Pony Racing Group, Ron and his family often traveled with his ponies, racing them on tracks on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and the former Orchard Downs in Lakeville. His races took him across New England, showcasing his dedication and love for the sport. Among all his animal friends, Ron was especially famous for his dogs, particularly labrador retrievers, which he trained expertly for both fieldwork, show and obedience for many local families. In later years, he also developed a hobby in tractor pulling, proudly owning several Wheel Horse tractors and regularly participating in events at Francis Farm in Rehoboth.

Ron was a man of many interests, hockey, cars, and trying new things. His love for cars led him to buy and showcase a prize-winning Studebaker at local car shows. He served as a hockey coach for the New England Mustangs youth hockey team, a Junior Varsity coach at Canton High School and at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, sharing his passion and knowledge with young players.

But above all, Ron’s true joy came from his friends and family. He loved meeting his Country Kitchen buddies every day to chat and solve the world's problems over coffee. Spending time with his wife, Joanne, and their children was his greatest pleasure—whether traveling, coaching their hockey teams, or teaching life lessons that started with taking care of all of their animals, including cleaning the stalls. Welcoming his granddaughters into his life brought him immense happiness; watching them grow up, follow their dreams and spending quality time with them was truly special to him.

Beloved husband of Joanne E. (Buck) Ober. Loving father of Dr. Timothy R. Ober, DVM of Wellington, Florida and Gordonsville, Virginia, Terrance R. Ober and his wife Kristen of Norwood, MA and their children Kelty and Maggie of New York, NY and Michael A. Ober and his wife Melissa and their children Vivian and Torrin of Bellingham, MA.

Brother of the late Albert Ober Jr., Arlene Donahue, Alberta Heinz, Joseph Ober, Louise Goodman, Dorothy Geehan, John Ober, George Ober, Kathleen Keeney, and Norman Ober. Brother-in-law of Jacqueline Ober and Elinor Ober both of Walpole. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Ron's visitation on Sunday, March 22nd, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, at 10:00 am at Blessed Sacrament Church, 10 Diamond Street, Walpole. Interment will take place privately at the request of Ron's family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Ron's name may be made at https://gofund.me/7bd521c13, to support King Philip Regional High School’s DECA Chapter, which Ron founded in 1971. All funds raised will go directly towards subsidizing student’s out-of-pocket costs to participate in programs that prepare emerging student leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Alternatively, contributions to a charity of your choice are welcome.