Ronald Henry Gates, 87, passed away Friday, January 16, 2015. He was born June 1, 1927 to Herman & Martha McAdams Gates in Manchester, Connecticut, where he lived his whole life. He was a loving, kind, and generous friend, father, and grandfather and will be greatly missed by those who loved him, including his devoted companion Norma Crutchley; his children, Stephen Gates, Karen Silkowski, Susan Gates-Krull, Gary Gates, Leslie Reed, and Amy Gates; his son-in-law Jonathan Reed and daughter-in-law Danyelle Gates; his grandchildren, Rachel and Samantha Gates, Alyson and Stephanie Silkowski, Jessica and Katie Krull, and Garrison and Juliette Gates; and his great-grandchildren Jacob and Matson. In 1945, Ronald joined the U.S. Navy, serving on the U.S.S. Franklin D. Roosevelt for two years. For nearly 40 years, Ronald worked as a foreman for Southern New England Telephone Company and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America. He then worked as a deputy sheriff for the Manchester Probate Court, retiring in 2002. Ronald served as a member of the Manchester Planning and Zoning Commission for 12 years and was an active member of the Manchester Democratic Party, serving as a town constable for many years. He was a talented carpenter and enjoyed building house additions, decks, furniture, dollhouses for his daughters, and playscapes for his grandchildren. He loved jazz music and was an avid collector of Manchester memorabilia, an excellent cook, and a diehard fan of UConn women's basketball. There are no calling hours and burial is private. Memorial donations can be made to The Little Theatre of Manchester. The John F. Tierney Funeral Home, Manchester has care of the arrangements. For online condolences please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.