Ronald Maurice Ollie

March 20, 1951 - June 1, 2020

Ollie, Ronald Maurice 1951 - 2020, Ronald Maurice Ollie, age 69, longtime resident of Newark, New Jersey, passed away at his home on June 1, 2020. Beloved husband of Monique Ollie nee McRipley. Ron attended Missouri University of Science and Technology – formerly known as the University of Missouri, School of Mines & Metallurgy. During college, he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Ron graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. As an engineer, Ron spent 30 years in business development for major Fortune 500 firms and top architecture and engineering firms across the country. Ron began his career as Resident Sales Engineer and Packaging Sales Rep with Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), and later became a partner at Malcolm Pirnie in 2000. In addition to Ron's professional career, Ron amassed a large personal collection of paintings and photographs by black artists. Ron was also an avid book collector whose library includes over 2,100 titles on black history and culture. In 2017, the Ollies donated 81 works by black abstractionists to the Saint Louis Art Museum. Works from the gift are presented in the exhibition The Shape of Abstraction: Selections from the Ollie Collection, which opened in September 2019. Ron is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Monique; brothers: Bert Ollie, Jr. and Reginald (Rita) Ollie; sister, Joyce (Jerome) Wilks-Love; parents-in-law: Clarence McRipley, MD and Francine G. McRipley; sister-in-law, Lisa McRipley; brother-in-law, Jason (Chioma) McRipley; four nephews, two nieces, and a host of loving family members and dear friends. Services: A Memorial Service at the Saint Louis Art Museum will be held from 1:00 pm until 3 pm. Followed by a Prayer Service at Valhalla Indoor Mausoleum. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Ronald M. and Monique M. Ollie Education Endowment Fund for Abstraction by Black Artists. Please feel free to contact the Saint Louis Art Museum at SLAM.org for details.