Ron's Story
Ronald (“Ron”) William Cantwell passed away on April 18, 2022 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Despite his illness, Ron continued to live life to its fullest, splitting time between homes in Old Greenwich, CT, and Treasure Island, FL and spending plenty of quality time with family.
Born August 30, 1943, in Janesville, WI, Ron graduated from Janesville High School in 1961 and then served in the Air Force for four years in the Atlas missile program.
It was during his military service that Ron met the love of his life, Pauline, on the day he arrived in her hometown, Abilene, TX. According to her, though, it wasn’t love at first sight as he was the polar opposite of her Southern Baptist upbringing. Soon, however, his charm, good looks, and wit won her heart and the two wed on November 27, 1964, at Dyess Air Force Base. During their 57 years of marriage, the couple had four children – Clint Cantwell, John Cantwell, Katie Tharakan, and Stacey Van Diest.
Upon his separation from the Air Force, Ron enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Initially, he wanted to be a dentist after reading that the profession ranked third on a list of best-paying jobs but the program required working with a cadaver, something he couldn’t stomach (literally). Instead, he turned his focus towards the fourth-best paying job -- accounting. He went on to graduate with honors, earning a BBA in Accounting in June 1969 and passed his CPA exam on the first try. His career as a CPA spanned 19 years and multiple cities including Dallas, Madison, Austin, Kansas City, Austin again, then back to Dallas. It was in Dallas where one of his clients, Tom Pickens, invited Ron to join him in New York as CFO (and later CEO and Chairman) of The Catalyst Group, Inc., a large independent energy company that was traded on the New York Stock Exchange before being taken private by Brookfield Asset Management in 1988.
During his tenure, the company sold approximately 20 projects valued at over $2 billion and he continued to assist in the oversight of a sizable hydroelectric plant in Louisiana until late 2020. From 1994 to 2004, he also served as General Partner and President of Trilon Dominion Partners, a $100 million venture fund formed by himself; Dominion, a large Richmond, VA-based utility company; and Trilon, a subsidiary of Brookfield. He also held consulting roles with Crescent Capital (2005), Greenwich Energy Investments (2006-2007), Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Partners (2008-2014), and Astrotech Corporation (2015-2021).
In addition to his rich professional career and his role as a father and grandfather, Ron enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. via National Lampoon’s Vacation-style family road trips, as well as visits to approximately 40 major international cities with Pauline and various family and friends. He was also an avid foodie, whether it was countless corporate dinners at New York’s best restaurants throughout the 1990s; the haute cuisine of his son and French Culinary Institute graduate, John; or BBQ creations from his son and professional pitmaster, Clint. His love for sports was always present, as well, including cheering on his beloved Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, Memphis Grizzlies, and various sports teams of his grandchildren.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents John and Lillian and two brothers Randy and Brad Cantwell. He is survived by his loving wife; the couples four children and their spouses; 11 grandchildren; and his brother Keith Cantwell of Ft. Myers, FL. Children, their spouses, and grandchildren include Clint and Suzanne Cantwell (Colin, Anna, and Evan) of Germantown, TN; John Cantwell and Cara Deron (R. J., Lilli, Kayley, and Grace) of Toms River, NJ; Katie and Anjan Tharakan (Christian and Aiden) and Stacey and Michael Van Diest (Jack and Jane) of St. Petersburg, FL.
A service for Ron will be held at 10:00 a.m. April 30, 2022, at Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, FL.
Donations may be made in his name to the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County by using the link https://tinyurl.com/RonCantwell.
