Final Salute

Ralph Buron, 76, passed away March 10, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in his home under the care of hospice nurses in Sebastian-Micco, Florida. Ralph is survived by his loving partner of ten years, Lou Jean Johnston.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Ralph was the son of Ida Buron (nee Battista) and George

Joseph Buron. Ralph was one of a set of triplets. His brother Doug predeceased him in 2015 and he leaves behind his sister, Sheryl Anne Murphy (nee Buron). Ralph was close to Sherry’s son, Paul Corsetti, and her daughter Cindy Nagy and her husband Gregg Nagy.

Ralph also leaves behind a half brother, Michael Buron, and stepsister, Betty Miller, from Ralph’s father’s second marriage to Vern Miller. Ralph’s mother, Ida, married her second husband Eugene Gwinn who became the triplets’ stepfather.

Ralph graduated from Miami Carol City High School in 1966. In 1967 Ralph joined the U.S. Navy Seabees, serving for four years. He also played trumpet in the Navy Band among other duties. After Navy Service he worked for Eastern Airlines as a ground and airplane inspector for 22 years. He then worked at a number of jobs, the final one being financial manager for the Florida High School Board.

Ralph was a devout Christian and often called upon his religion for support. Among his many interests he joined the Boy Scouts of America and the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge as a Master Scout teaching boys how to survive in the wilderness in Alaska,

Colorado, the Rockies and New Mexico. In the 1980s he and Doug joined the Historical Reenactment of early American History. He created reenactment costumes and made intricate wood carvings on historic knife handles. Both brothers also enjoyed replicating rural landscapes and buildings for their model railways.

One of the defining experiences for Ralph was his involvement in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. His color blindness allowed him to screen black and white film of enemy airplanes to clearly pinpoint where they were. Doug spent time on the battlefield in Vietnam and became a victim of PTSD and combat related disease. This took its toll on his siblings, Ralph and Sherry. Ralph’s personality was loving and happy go lucky but it also had distinct and serious boundaries. His partner and family will miss him tremendously.

A visitation for Ralph will be held Monday, March 24, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Fountainhead Funeral Home, 7359 Babcock Street SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909. A celebration of life service will begin following the visitation at 11:00 AM. A graveside service will follow his celebration of life service at 12:00 PM at Fountainhead Memorial Park, 7303 Babcock St SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909.