Ronald Jay Dove

Ride on, Bubba. And breathe!

Obituary

Ronald Jay Dove


July 9, 1963 – May 17, 2026

Ronald Jay Dove, known to many as "Tucson Ron" and to his buddies simply as "Bubba," passed away peacefully at home on May 17, 2026, with his wife Kim by his side. He was 62.

Ron was born on July 9, 1963, at Tucson Medical Center to Dr. Earle Dove and Miriam Dove.

A Tucson native through and through, Ron graduated from Tucson High School in [year] and went on to the University of Arizona, graduating in [year]. There he became a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, and the brothers he met remained some of his closest friends for the rest of his life. He stayed at the U of A to earn his Master's in Business in [year], working as a bellman at the Doubletree along the way. He loved telling the story of meeting Ernie Banks there, and he was thrilled every time he met someone new.

Ron was a dedicated employee at every job he ever held. After working at a Hallmark store, he spent more than 12 years as manager of Performance Footwear in Tucson, where his generous discounts for the local fitness instructors made "Tucson Ron" something of a legend. He also helped his friend Todd Cefaratti with several business ventures before moving into the mortgage business.

That path led him to his dream job at Homes for Heroes, an organization founded after 9/11 to give back to firefighters, police officers, military members, healthcare workers, and teachers. Ron supported its mission as a lender affiliate for three years before joining the team in 2022, rising to Regional Business Development Manager. He believed deeply in honoring first responders, and he loved hearing each hero's story. Homes for Heroes has honored him with a tribute on its website, remembering him as kind, genuine, and caring, and forever part of their family.

It was at Performance Footwear that Ron met the love of his life. Kim, a fitness instructor and Master Floral Designer new to Tucson, came in on her colleagues' advice to see "Tucson Ron" for new shoes. A few days later, he called to ask how they were fitting. "Oh, so you're Kim?" he said. "Oh, so you're Tucson Ron?" she replied. Their first date soon turned into two or three nights a week, and then every night.

Ron proposed on New Year's Eve 1993, then called Kim's father in Montana to ask for his blessing. They were married on May 19, 1994, at the Arizona Inn, beginning 32 years together. Ron always said Kim, their dogs, and their horses were his family.

His love of horses started early. As a young boy, Ron spent weekends riding with his father and Norman, a firefighter at Golder Ranch in Tucson whose wife was Dr. Dove's dental hygienist. It was the beginning of a lifelong passion. 

Ron and Kim bought their first home in Tucson and, of course, two Arabian horses, and learned side by side how to care for and ride them. They later built a home on acreage in Vail, Arizona, where at one time they kept four horses, along with their beloved standard poodles. Ron would get up early to ride before work, and on weekends they trailered the horses out to ride. He was a natural in the saddle and the most grounded person Kim had ever known. Before every ride, he would remind her of one word: "Breathe."

Ron was a total sports junkie and a lifelong University of Arizona fan. He and Kim cheered on the Wildcats in basketball, football, and baseball, recording the games to watch after a day on the trail. "Get 'em, Cats!" and "Beat ASU!" were two of his favorite sayings.

He was a romantic, too, planning trips to see the Steelers in Pittsburgh, the Broncos in Denver, and an all-time favorite, the Chiefs at home in Kansas City. For their 20th anniversary, he took Kim to Seattle and surprised her with a seaplane flight to an island for a romantic dinner.

Country music was the soundtrack of his life. He took Kim to see Keith Urban, Cole Swindell, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brothers Osborne, and many more, and he was a really good singer himself.

Few people knew that Ron was also an excellent grill master, famous at home for his baked spaghetti and the best omelets ever. He loved making special meals for Kim when she returned from a long pet sit, and he swore he never met a pizza he didn't like. He insisted he wasn't creative, but he was a poet, and the poems he wrote for Kim are treasures she will keep forever.

Above all, Ron was a friend. He was the one who called to check in, kept everyone in the loop, and never let anyone drift away. He called his buddies "Bubba," and they called him Bubba right back. He gave nicknames to the people he loved because he believed they were a bridge to the soul: Cool Breeze, Toddie, Kentith, Chuckie, Joey, and Brother Brent, to name just a few. Kim was Kimmer, Kim Marie, Schnookems, and her favorite, Foxy. He stood up as a groomsman at many of his friends' weddings and served as best man before finally becoming the groom himself. It's rumored that Ron was the world record holder for the number of times he was best man or groomsman in a wedding!

Ron's faith in Jesus ran deep, though he showed it far more than he talked about it. He was baptized twice, at two different churches, because he wanted to be immersed body and soul. Each month he cooked dinners at the Gospel Rescue Mission in Tucson alongside the men of the United Methodist Church in Tucson, because he loved to serve.

He was humble, funny, honest, and faithful his entire life, and he cared more for the welfare of Kim and his friends than for his own.

Ron is survived by his wife and soulmate of 32 years, Kim Dove; his only brother, Lewis Dove, and Lewis's wife, Raleigh; his nephews, Jeremy and Zachery; and a wide circle of friends and Sigma Chi brothers who were family to him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Earle Dove and Miriam Dove. 

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