Rev. Ronald C. Willmann, 76

The Reverend Ronald Charles Willmann died July 25, 2026, at Bristol Village’s memory care facility in Waverly, Ohio, after a courageous battle with dementia. He was born June 25, 1950, to the Reverend Charles and Mildred (Haid) Willmann in Westerville, Ohio. After graduating from Capital University (Bexley, Ohio) in 1972, he attended Lutheran Theological Seminary (now Trinity Lutheran Seminary), also in Bexley. Ronald married Barbara E. Carter (Capital University Class of 1974) June 30, 1973, during his first year of seminary.

Upon graduation in 1976, Ronald and Barbara moved to Webster, New York, for Ronald’s call as pastor at Saint Martin Lutheran Church. While there, Ronald co-founded the Webster Council of Churches and organized the first CROP Walk, an annual event that continues to this day.

In July 1991, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio, where Ronald began a chaplaincy program at Riverside Methodist Hospital. After completing the program in July 1992, he began a 23-year career as the night chaplain at Mount Carmel West Hospital in Columbus.

Ronald was preceded in death by his parents and his stepmother Evelyn Willmann. He is survived by his wife Barbara; his children Matthew (Joseph), Sarah, and Andrew (Kerri); his grandchildren Christian, Briana, and Noah Fetters and Nathan, Jacob, and Kinsley Willmann; sisters Karen Davies and Ardith Willman; and step siblings Jeanne (Jim) Zingale, Anne Kershner, and Gary (Heather) Wiegand.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at the HILL FUNERAL HOME, Kingston. Burial will follow in Springbank Cemetery, Yellowbud, Ohio and a meal at Trinity United Methodist Church in Chillicothe, Ohio. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at Hills. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ronald’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences and floral gifts may be made on Ronald's online guestbook at www.hillfhkingston.com.