Ron Neukomm, a born-and-raised Prince George resident and devoted community volunteer, passed away Wednesday at Rotary Hospice House.
Neukomm was commonly referred to as “Mr. Rotary” among local Rotarians in recognition of his decades of tireless work with the service club. He served as Rotary district governor in 2004-2005, overseeing 54 Rotary clubs and 1,900 Rotarians in the Lower Mainland, the Central Interior and the north coast. He was a regular volunteer with Operation Red Nose, the longtime major fundraiser for Nechako Rotary, the club he joined shortly after it was created in 1986. He took great pride in his 30 years of perfect attendance for weekly club meetings.
Along with Rotary, Neukomm also served as a director and vice-president of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and sat as a board director with the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame and the United Way. He was named an honorary life member of the Prince George Child Development Centre for his 12 years of board service, including a term as president. A devoted member of St. Andrew’s United Church, Neukomm worked on the church’s maintenance committee.
In more recent years, he made hundreds of trips over several summers out to the Ancient Forest as part of the volunteer crew that built the Universal Boardwalk.
Neukomm was named a 2017 Citizen of the Year by the Prince George Community Foundation, receiving the honour alongside his wife, Dee, who is a founding member of Special Olympics Prince George, a provincial and national Special Olympics Female Coach of the Year and a 1999 inductee into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame.
Dee, their son Curtis and family members were at his side when he passed. He is predeceased by his daughter Lara.
A celebration of life for Neukomm has been scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Trinity United Church in Prince George.
