Mr Ronald Van Hook

The Life and Legacy 

of 

Ronald Van Hook

Ronald Van Hook  was born on December 26, 1958 to Randolph and Florene Van Hook in Oakland, California. Ronald was raised in the fear and the admonition of the Lord, and at an early age he was baptized at the Promised Land Baptist Church in Richmond California, under the pastorate of The Reverend  Robert Walker. Ronald rededicated his life to Lord at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, under the pastorate of Pastor Ulis G. Redic

Ronald matriculated through Richmond Unified School District graduating from El Cerrito high school in 1976. Ronald was a high academic achiever and an all-star baseball player. Upon graduating, Ronald furthered his education at Diablo Valley College, studying Business Administration. 

Ronald worked for many years at Wells Fargo Bank’s corporate office in the San Francisco Financial District. He also worked at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and the West Contra Costa Unified School District.

In his young adult years he courted and married the former Miss Sherry Green in 1984, and in this union they were blessed with a beautiful daughter, Janelle Denise Van Hook. Becoming Janelle‘s father was one of Ronald‘s greatest accomplishments in life. His gentle, kind, and compassionate personality and parenting style was also exemplified in his relationship with his nephews, Julius, Alexander, Nikos, and his great nieces and nephews, Bonnie Rose, Eliyah, Mary Jane, and Baby Danyel, whom he loved like his own offspring. He also had a special relationship with his little cousins, Hazel, Heather and Alice, as well as many other young people in the family. 

Some of his hobbies were fishing, baseball, and horse racing. He was an avid 49ers fan. He and Janelle went to numerous games together and this was part of their tradition. He and his brother and best friend, Danny, enjoyed barbecuing together and they were known as “Master Queuers”

As a child, he attended many plays and symphonic concerts, as well as art, car, and boat shows. As a teenager, he enjoyed going to South Lake Tahoe to ski and North Lake Tahoe for their annual winter vacations at King’s Castle and the Ponderosa Ranch.  He also enjoyed horseback riding at Half Moon Bay as well as attending the Summer Jazz Festival every year in Monterey. One of his most memorable trips was to the World's Fair in Spokane, Washington where he also traveled to three different parts of Canada. One memorable part of that Canadian vacation was visiting the beautiful Butchart Garden in Victoria, Canada. He was also an avid reader and a dynamic swimmer. 

Ronald was a man of honor and integrity. He had a very gentle spirit that accompanied his love and respect for family. He was known for being a doer and giver of kind deeds, among his many talents and gifts. Not only was he a good father, but he was a good uncle, cousin, and friend and will be greatly missed by many. 

Ronald was preceded by his grandparents, Dennis and Myrtle Van Hook and Will and Blanch Burks and his father, Randolph Van Hook, and numerous aunts and uncles. 

He leaves to cherish his loving memories, his daughter, Janelle Van Hook, mother, Florene Van Hook , brother, Danny Van Hook ( Denise)  and Randy Beasley (Rose)  of Richmond, Ca, Sister, Leslie Jones of Oakland,Ca, Nephews, Julius Van Hook, Alexander Van Hook and Nikos Van Hook, Great nieces and nephews, Bonnie Rose Van Hook, Eliyah Van Hook, Mary Jane Van Hook, and Danyel Van Hook, of Richmond, Ca. Aunt, Faye Washington (Paul) of Longview,Texas, Eddie Ruth Gibson of Sacramento, Ca and Gloria Shepherd of Alpharetta, Georgia, Life long friend, Cornel Heslip, Long time companion, Cardella Pree (Jermaine Jordan, her son & Kierra Jordan, her granddaughter) special cousin, Pallas Godfrey of Sacramento, Ca  and a host of extended family and friends. 

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