Remembering Ron  / Jim Puracchio (student)
      Thank You Jessica for providing this wonderful website in Ron's honor.  It is only fitting that we use this medium to share with each other our experiences and glorify the life of a great man.
      Anyone fortunate enough to get some skating lessons from Ron Jellse will fully understand what I am about to say.  As Juvenile skaters, my sister Jane and I were among the former.  Regardless of the dicipline,  Ron was 100% skating with you.  During lessons, always talking, bending over you, pointing your toe, and giving encouragment.  He lived for the moment.  His intensity was like a catalist, it lit the fire inside and made you SKATE!  Not only was his skating knowledge unprecedented, so was his will to convy it to you.  As children we sensed this.  Jane and I would often talk about how we wanted to win for Ronnie! even more than for ourselves!    Ron taught us everything.   His approach to everything was the same.  Dilligent practice, positive mindset.  His teaching was all about roller skating, but the lessons we learned  from him were life-long and timeless.  He taught us how to manage our time.  Be good sports, to win, but to be gracious in defeat.  Ron set a good example for us, always professional in his conduct and attitude, we found ourselves asking sometimes if " Ron would approve of that."?  The gold skating awards were wonderful but the real victories came in the way of life fulfilling lessons we learned from him.  Those values cannot be bought, only learned and experienced.  Jane and I met Ron in 1964 as children.  His impact on our lives, and I speak for her, made us better people.  We all owe it to Ron to preserve our great sport, get skaters involved, and carry on in a manner that would make him proud! Close

A Great Mentor  / Verna Quaranto (Friend)
We will always treasure the knowledge that Ron has shared with us for many years.  His love of roller skating will live forever in our memories.  My sympathy to his family and friends. Close

You'll be missed..  / Jayson Sutcliffe (skating friend )
Ron, you inspired many with your great talent. You will be missed. Sympathies to your family, friends and skating families... Close

Remembering Ron  / John Beeding (Friend)
I first met Ron Jellse and his mother in 1951 when we competed together at Regionals at the Rolladium in Michigan. Back then we all skated multiple disciplines – and I remember Ron skating dance, figures, free style, singles, pairs and fours. I don’t recall him skating speed. Ron, John Matajec and I competed together over the next 3 years in men’s figures. We used figure arm positions from arms at our sides with turned out hands to arms held high over our heads in 1956. Oh, yes, the leg was to be gently bent. I only beat Ron once in Sr men’s figures in Milwaukee and that was due to a fall he took. Over the years, we met many times at Regional and National contests and had many discussions about skaters, routines, and techniques, as well exchanged ideas and approaches to roller skating style and execution. The thing I most admired about Ron, as with Bert Anselmi, another roller skating mentor and legend, was his integrity. He never elevated himself at the expense of others.
We recently talked at length at Donora, reminiscing about the past and what might be going on in the future in the sport. It is going to seem strange going to meets without Ron being there.
My sympathies go out to his family and his students. We’ll all miss you Ron….
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A wonderful man  / David &. Joyce Herlacher (Student/friend)
Ron coached us to consecutive first place winners in the Great Lakes region in the early seventies.  What I remember the most is that when it was our turn on the floor, he gave us his full attention.  The same was true during lessons with him --- he made us feel that we were his most important team.  Thanks for your attention dear Pro. Close

I miss you already Mr.Ron!  / Erica Sheley (skater)
Although I have never taken one lesson from Mr. Ron I feel like I've learned so much from him that I will never forget. My bestfriend Jessica took from him so whenever I would go up to Orlando to visit her, Mr.Ron would always welcome me to practice and he always had that grin on his face that you couldn't help but smile back. It hasn't clicked in with me yet that he's gone. I remember a few weeks ago at the Port Richey Invitational we were sitting in the snack bar eating grilled cheese talking about skating and laughing, but I didn't think that it would be the last time doing so. 

Mr. Ron will always have a special place in my heart, and I'm going to miss him more than anything. Close

I am going to miss you Ron!  / Lindsay Mann (Coach and Friend )
My best wishes go out to Ron's family. When I was only 8 years old I took from Ron in Michigan. After 2 years of coaching me Ron moved to Flordia. After he moved I cried for months because I missed Ron so much. There is just something about Ron that brings out the best in everyone. This year I got the opportunity to take for Ron again. Honestly, I was going to quit this year but when I heard Ron was coming to Michigan and Chicago I decided to give it one last try.  
         On Sunday  I said to my mom " If it wasn't for Ron I don't think I would be skaitng." For the first time in many years I felt motivated to skate.  Ron always believed in me, like no one else ever has. After I heard the news Monday, I broke down in tears. It was just too hard to believe. I always looked at Ron as being invincible but he's human like everyone else. So after alot of thought I decided that I am going to skate for Ron this year. He created my new short program which is one of the last programs he created.  When I am at the practice rink I just ask myself, "what would Ron do?" 
I miss Ron very much and not a day goes by that I don't think about him! Close

My sincerest sympathy  / Dorothy Deremer (student & friend )

Dear Mrs. Jellse and Family:

  I send my deepest sympathy to you and your family.  Ron was a great teacher and although I only took a few lessons with him when I was in Florida, it was a great experience and I am thankful that I was able to get a lot out of the lessons I experienced with him.  He was a great teacher and always pleasant.
 
  My parents, Richard & Elaine Johnson also had a wonderful relationship with Ron while they resided in Florida.  They also send their sincere condolences to your family at this time.  

  He was a wonderful teacher, mentor and friend, and he will be truly missed by all.

Sincerely,

Dorothy DeRemer
(Dottie Johnson)

 

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A Man With Class  / Gary Callahan (Friend)
Ron will be remembered by so many for so many reasons. He always had time for everyone, and he was always willing to share his knowledge and of himself. He will missed by all. Close

The greatest loss  / John Rangel (student and freind )

I met Ron years ago when my daughter was skating. I saw him through his illness in the 70's and his recovery.  He was a mentor for the judges and taught practically everyone in the Great Lakes.  He was the most dedicated teacher I have ever known.

His knowledge was unsurpassed and we will all miss the teacher and freind to all that he was.

I laughed and talked with him just a few weeks ago in Donora and again he taught me something which I had forgotten.

To his wife and family and all of his skaters my best wishes we will all miss him.

Great website Jessica.

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Remembering Ron  / Skip Mackall (friend)
The months I spent training with Ron were truly memorable, he was the definition of a professional and a gentleman. He will be missed.

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To the greatest teacher I know...  / Ashley Hinton (Student)
I enjoyed every moment of time that I spent with Ron from the weekly 5am lessons when he would talk incessantly of the old days when he used to teach my mom, to roaming the streets of Rome.  He truly did know everything there is to know about figure skating.  He had more knowledge in his little pinky that any of us have in our whole body.  To have Ron backing me for so long was an experience that I would not trade for the world.  A price could never be placed on his love and support.  Figure skating will never be the same.  Close

To one of the Greats, a Tribute to a Friend  / David Ripp (Friend)
Some of my earliest recollections of Ron was when I was just about 9 or 10 years old, when my Mom (Shirley Snyder) would tell me about the discipline of Ron’s skaters and the very technical way that he trained them.

Ron carried a magical and mystical aura in and through his skaters. Ron’s Skaters were always incredibly well prepared technically, mentally, physically, and carried the focus that allowed them to excel in everything he taught.

Throughout my competitive skating career, Ron’s Skaters were always there to compete against, as I never had the opportunity to study under Ron. In Juvenile Figures, I got 2nd, while Ron’s Skater got the 1st. In Junior Dance, we got the 2nd, while Ron’s Team got the 1st, twice (ouch, that hurts). And many more times in my skating career, Ron’s Skaters were among the toughest competition. Ron was always the coach that carried the respect, not only of his own Skaters, but also the respect and honor of us, as competitors also.

I really got to know Ron better during the years that I was running Snyder Skate Company. During this time Ron was one of the key coaches to work with us on the development of the Snyder Click Action Figure Skate and the Snyder Super Fafnir Bearings. Ron helped us with ideas and showed us where we went wrong, more than a few times, and gave us ideas on what to do to correct the issues. Ron had a constant eye on how to better Skating and how to help those participating.

After Snyder was sold in 1983, I left Skating. In 2002, we (my wife Carolyn and I) had the opportunity to purchase the Skyborn Skateland in Fairborn, OH. This got me back into skating. In 2004, we purchased the distribution company for ATLAS and Roll-Line in the US. Once again I started having the opportunities to see Ron again.

Ron’s stature as one of the giants in the Competitive Roller Skating arena had only grown during the time I missed. Since getting re-acquainted at the World Meet in 2004, Ron has been one of those Coaches that not only strives to know where Artistic Skating technique is going, but also wanted to be on the leading edge of the Skate, Boot, Wheel, and Bearing technology to give his skaters the very best equipment they could have to allow them to perform their best. Ron always wanted to give his skaters that competitive edge.

Ron, once again, has been helping to further the development of Figure Loop skating, by encouraging me to develop the best performing Loop Skate ever. Ron had one of his students send me one of the old German skates for evaluation, as he felt these gave the best flow to the loops of any skate, but they have not been produced for many years and there are only a very few still around and with NO repair parts if something breaks. After much study of the old skate, some of the geometry that made it different from every other skate, became obvious. This change was relatively simple to adapt to the Roll-Line Giotto Figure Skate.

Just at the Extravaganza at Skate Reflections in Kissimmee a couple of weeks ago, Ron spent a great deal of time with Carolyn and me to fill us in on all the detail information from the Artistic World championships in Spain. He was a walking encyclopedia of who got what placement and how they skated, along with how the judging went. He was full of very insightful concepts, ideas and information, on what we could do to better the US standings in the World. I think he felt that we had a special connection and that love for Skating.

Ron, through several of his skaters has been testing this new skate and seemed to think that it did the job, VERY WELL. We have begun to market the skate as the Giotto Loop, here in the United States. This combination utilizes the best of today’s technology along with an almost lost secret from the past, which will make the Skating of Loops once again move forward. This improvement would not have happened without the inspiration, drive, and desire of Ron, pushing me to develop the latest innovation. I am going to rename the Giotto Loop to be the Jellse Giotto Loop Skate, in his honor.

Just over a week ago, at the Donora Championship, Ron was very excited to get even more of his students into the new Jellse Giotto Loop Skate.

Ron has an incredible legacy in Skating through the many Skaters, Coaches, Officials, and anyone else that ever met him. We will carry on that drive to make Skating better and a stronger sport for many years to come.

With honor to a great person, that is already an even greater legend.

David Ripp
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An incredible teacher  / Laurel Weaver-Serrano (skater)
Just a quick note to express our sympathy on the loss of Mr. Jellse.  We flew to Fla for a lesson from him in Nov and were due to fly back in May.  His knowledge of skating and skaters surpassed most and his loss will be felt throughout the country.  
We are deeply sorry for your personal loss as well.
God bless.
Laurel and Mani Serrano Close

To an admirered and respected man  / Lisa Borgese (Admirer)

On behalf of the Borgese and Johnson families, my husband Nick Borgese and I would like to offer our condolences to the family, friends, and students of Ron Jellse.  He was a great man and a very respected and admirered coach.  He always had nice words of encouragement to skaters, whether it was his own students or even competitors (of his students) as I was on many occassions.  

He will be TRULY missed in the skating world!

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A Giant of a Man  / Jason Nelson (Former Student )
 It was an honor to have taken from Ron for so many years. Even after our student-teacher relationship had ended, another one grew teacher-teacher. He has taught me alot about life and the skating world. He is going to be missed by everyone who knew him. His name will always be looked upon as one of the greatest coaches in the history of roller skating. My wife and I will be praying for his family through this hard time, and I hope other do as well...... Close

In memory of Ron!!!!  / Twila Robinson (Former student and friend for life )
Ron made a difference in the lives of everyone he touched!!! We are so thankful to god for blessing us with one the kindess smartest and most giving persons in the world!!! I was so fortunate as many of you are to have worked with Ron and not only am I a better skater today because of him most importantly I am a better person at heart and for him I thank you Ron!!! 
   Altough you are with God now and the rest of our wonderful skating family you will be alive in the hearts of all of those who love and admire you so much so you will be here on earth with us always and in our hearts always as will your family!! I also had the blessing of working with Nancy in my skating and what a joy it was to have two of the best in the world at your side!!! Words cannot say it but the love in my heart through my love for skating and for life does!!! I will be visiting you here on this memory site often and I will look up everyday and Thank God and You for blessing and being a part of my life!!! I love you and your family beyond words!!! God BLess you and everyone who was touched by you!!! Love and hUgs and Prayers!!! Twila Martin-Robinson Close