A son of the late John W. and Blanche Osborne Ackerman, Ron was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Norwood, Ohio. He was a paratrooper stationed in Hawaii in the US Army. After his military service, he worked for Wayne Pumps in Ironton, OH and 7-Up Corporation before following his dream and opened a boat shop in Portsmouth & Ironton, OH at the age of 28. Ron's Mighty Mouse race team raced for 11 years during which he accumulated a multitude of victories throughout the US, Bahamas & Holland including 53 1st place finishes, 7 divisional championships, National Championships in 1973, 1981 & 1982 (in 3 different classes), a third consecutive National Championship year capturing the 1983 Formula 100 title in Massachusetts. He became the 1st driver in any class to win the "Triple Crown" of boat racing, making him the most successful single season racing driver in the history of the National Powerboat Assoc. After retiring from racing, he became a Millwright and worked for the Carpenter's Union in the power plants. His hobbies were building and flying his Powrchute planes, hang gliding and visiting historical battlefields.

He is preceded in death by his parents John & Blanche Ackerman, his wife, Kay Jean Pernell Ackerman, son Ronald Ackerman, Jr and his brother John William "Bill" Ackerman.

He is survived by his sons, Harley "Deke"(Tammy) Hughes, Birmingham, AL and Bengy (Cathy) Hughes, Portsmouth, OH, his siblings, Robert "Bob" (Mary Jo) Ackerman, Ironton, OH, Melinda Ackerman, Marblehead, OH, David (Joann) Ackerman, Cincinnati, OH, Teresa Jane (Jim) Rudman, Ironton, OH, Judy (Ralph) Winters, Chicago, IL, 12 grandchildren, and 6 great- grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 Friday, October 25, 2019 at O'Keefe Baker Funeral Home at 1108 S 6th St., Ironton, OH, with Father Joseph Greenwell officiating. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.