Charles Ronald Hummel

CORNWALL BRIDGE — Charles Ronald Hummel, known to family and friends as “Ron,” of Cornwall Bridge, died peacefully at age 80 in New Milford Hospital on Sept. 8, 2018.  

Ron was born and raised in Detroit, Mich. He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Anne Hummel; and his twin brother, Richard Brian Hummel. 

Ron raised his family in New Canaan, Conn., and retired in Cornwall Bridge and Patagonia, Ariz.  

He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Anne Steele Hummel; his children, Cynthia Hummel Weeks and her husband, Donald, Krista Hummel Burdick and her husband, Christopher, and Hans Charles Hummel and his wife, Christine; his grandchildren, Russell, Meghan and Nathan Weeks, Skylar and Shea Burdick and Lily, Charlie and Lucy Hummel; and his siblings, Anne Patricia Arrazola,  Barbara Gale Nill and her husband, Kenneth, and Gary Robert Hummel.  

Ron attended high school at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield, Mich., and graduated in 1956. During his teenage and college years he led long canoe trips at Keeywaydin camp, including a voyage to Hudson Bay.  

In 1960, he graduated from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School and Harvard Business School in 1962.  

He was an impressive athlete and was captain of his wrestling team at Princeton. Ron had a successful career as a financial executive at General Foods (KraftHeinz) in their Maxwell House Division.  

After his retirement he pursued his passion for environmental education and attended Southern Connecticut State University. Ron and Anne retired in Patagonia and Cornwall Bridge, where he enjoyed wide open spaces, fresh air, hiking, swimming, running, birding, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding and his many dogs. 

He was an avid volunteer in both Connecticut and Arizona and spent countless hours educating adults, students and children on the environment at the Sharon Audubon Center, White Memorial Conservation Center, Patagonia State Park and Ramsey Canyon Preserve. Moreover, he started Friends of Sonoita Creek in Patagonia, and was recently chairman of the Cornwall Conservation Commission.  

Ron had an adventurous spirit and a strong sense of family.  He loved spending time with Anne, his children and grandchildren, and relished planning family vacations and camp-outs. He created long-lasting memories for his family and friends and will be greatly missed by all.     

A private celebration of Ron’s life will be planned. Those who so desire may make donations in memory of Ron to White Memorial Conservation Center, 80 Whitehall Road, P.O. Box 368, Litchfield, CT 06759; Sharon Audubon Center, 325 Cornwall Bridge Road, Sharon, CT 06096; or Friends of Sonoita Creek, P.O. Box 4508, Rio Rico, AZ 85648. 

Arrangements are under the care of the Kenny Funeral Home in Sharon.