Budzik rose through the ranks to become Mead’s vice president, government affairs.
He also worked for a lengthy roster of community causes and organizations, involved in the Dayton Early College Academy, Sinclair Community College, the Minority Economic Development Council and other local organizations and endeavors.
“Ron was a true community servant,” said Mike Parks, president of the Dayton Foundation. “He was always thinking about, and was committed to, what’s good for the region, what’s good for Dayton. He was one of those special people that never say ‘No.’ He would say, ‘How can we make this happen? What do we need to do to try to make change? What’s possible?’”
Budzik would wade into some of the community’s most pressing problems, Parks recalled. He was “calm, strategic and patient,” with a tendency to move toward action when the moment was right, he added.
“He would always say, ‘Let’s just start. We don’t have to be perfect,’” Parks said.
One of the most visible legacies from his life was helping to transform the then-empty Rike’s–Lazarus building into what is now the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, widely viewed as a cornerstone of downtown Dayton’s cultural life and a symbol of the city’s renewal, his obituary noted.
He is survived by Fran and Dorie Budzik (brother and sister-in-law), sons and daughters-in-law: Ronald and Amy Budzik, Matthew and Suzanne Budzik, Keith and Karin Budzik and Jason and Christine Budzik; step children and spouses and other relatives.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 16 at Holy Angels Catholic Church on Brown and “L” streets, Dayton, with a celebration of life luncheon at NCR Country Club in Kettering after the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Budzik-Hayde Family Fund at The Dayton Foundation. All donations to this fund go to local charities and non-profit organizations.
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