Obituary of Ronald Scott Tump

Ronald Tump, age 53, of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed away on Nov. 25, 2009 after suffering a heart attack. Ron was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 17, 1955, the son of Robert and Delores (Gerondale) Tump. He graduated from Juneau High School in 1974 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Wisconsin � Milwaukee in 1984. Ron developed the SST Extended Basic Compiler for the TI-99/4 computer and has 5 patents in his name, with one additional patent pending. Ron was a process controls engineer at Schenck AccuRate in Whitewater for 22 years, leaving the company as the R&D Controls Manager earlier this year. Most recently he was self-employed, establishing CheckMate LLC, a consulting firm specializing in automated condition monitoring systems. In his free time, Ron enjoyed flying his ultralight plane. He shared his love of flying with his sons Christopher and Patrick and his aviation friends. He was an enthusiastic racquetball player and enjoyed running, biking, flying his remote control planes, photography, helping people with computer problems, and assisting his wife with the technical side of her many art projects. He was vice president of the Whitewater Hang Gliding Club, a member of the Whitewater Radio Control (RC) Flying Club and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He is remembered for his curiosity, inventiveness, passion for learning, and positive and adventurous spirit. He was highly regarded by those who knew and worked with him at home and around the world. Ron was a loving and dedicated husband, father, brother and friend. He is survived by his wife of 33 years Linda (Whitewater), daughter Jessica (Portland, Oregon), son Christopher (Carey) (Mt. Prospect, Illinois), son Patrick (Minneapolis, Minnesota), brother Randy (Ellen) (Crivitz, Wisconsin), and nephews Neil and Keith (Herndon, Virginia and Neenah, Wisconsin). Ron was preceded in death by his parents. Memorial services will be held at 2pm on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at Nitardy Funeral Home, in Whitewater. Visitation will be held prior to the service, from 10am-2pm, at the funeral home. A BBQ will follow the memorial service in the (heated) hanger of Gutzmer�s Twin Oaks Airport, located approximately 1 mile north of Whitewater, on County Highway N. Please dress casually and warmly. In lieu of flowers, a fund has been established to celebrate Ron�s life. The fund will be used to sponsor an electrical engineering scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Contributions may be made to the �Ronald Tump Memorial Fund� and sent to 118 S. Elm St., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056.