LOOKING FOR CONTRIBUTORS...........
My blogsite is meant to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Ron Jellse. Anyone viewing with either a comment or photograph in its behalf please either send me this information or request permission to do so by sending "e" mailing information to...............
Puracchio@sbcglobal.net Thanks You
I met him in 1964.......
It was December 1963. My sister, Jane Wojnarowsky, and I were new skaters. We skated at the Cleveland Rollercade and had our own partners in dance and free style pairs. My chance came in January of 1964 when Ron saw me skate at the Rolladium Invitational in Pontiac, Mich. He told the father of a budding little girl he taught that I might make her a fine dance partner. My parents took me to the "Old" Akron Rollercade, where Ron taught at the time. It was a converted ice rink and there I saw for the first time "the" man teaching in a suit and tie! It was Ron Jellse. Sr. Skaters were all around doing pairs, figures, and dance. I had never been so overwelmed by so many great skaters at one time. Joe Bark, Adolph Wacker and Linda Mottice, Linda Mace and Keith Runnels, Ken Perkins and Sue Montis, and on and on and on. It was Saturday, Sr. Club and time for Denise and I to try out for Juvenile Dance! We skated for him. Ron liked us! We always felt, from that day onward, that we were skating as much for him as we were for ourselves. Honestly, anyone who ever skated for him, I truly believe felt that same way. His teaching was all about skating, but, the lessons we learned were lifelong and timeless. He taught us how to manage our time. Be good sports, to win, but to be gracious in defeat. He set a good example for us. He was always professional in his conduct and attitude and we found ourselves asking ourselves if Ron would "approve of that". My sister Jane went on to win all of the gold medals she possibly could, but I believe I won as many victories just from the life fulfilling lessons he taught me. Aside from our immediate family, no one influenced our young lives more than Ron Jellse. I will always remember him, and miss him.
Jim Puracchio
