Ronald Lynn Wiley, 82 of Battlefield, MO died Thursday, October 5, 2017 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MO. Ron was born on August 27, 1935 in Leavenworth County, Kansas to Walter and Doris (Moore) Wiley.  He married Marie Walker Crews on October 3, 1989 at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Ron was an engineer, a soldier, and a member of the Dayspring Church of the Nazarene.   During his tour in Viet Nam he received two Bronze Stars, one with a V device, a Combat Infantry Badge, a Republic of Viet Nam Service Medal, a Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with V device and Gold Star, and Two Purple Hearts.

While in Viet Nam, he promised God that if he got home safely, he would do something special for people to enjoy someday.  While mowing the yard at Dayspring one day, he looked up on the hill and the idea of the crosses came to mind.  Over the next 5 years, the 3 crosses you now see were fashioned and placed.  Ron had some intermittent help from his grandson, Riley, from some friends Gary and John, and some from Pastor Jim Furnas.  It was a labor of love from beginning to end.

His life-long love of sports led to several baseball records set at KU that were not broken until the recent past, Class AA baseball with the Phillies Professional League, and the joy of mentoring several young athletes as they grew in their sports careers.  He was a constant source of encouragement to all of them.

He is survived by his wife, Marie of Battlefield; sons, Joe Crews (Sandy) of Willard, MO and Aaron Crews (Shari) of Battlefield, MO; daughters, Donna Jones (Don) of Battlefield, MO and Patty Switzer (Bryan) of Bucklin, MO; brother, Wayne (Mary Kay) of Grove, OK; sister, Judy Evans of Tonganoxie, KS; grandchildren, Michelle Griffin (Don), Michael Crews (Rosanna), Matthew Hensley (Jill), Tracy Thompson (Ben), Michael Shane Roberts (Shira), Kelsey Crews, and Riley Crews; great-grandchildren, Xyacery Bryant, Cora Griffin, Yolanda and Amanda Garcia, Mikey and Kiera Crews, Trevor, Gavin and Charley Hensley, Caroline, Reid and Brooks Thompson, Rylan and Ryken Roberts, Nova Cave; great-great-granddaughter, Kelani Rivera; nieces, Annette Reichel (Mark), Gwynne Reid (Rickey) and Elizabeth Evans; grand-nephews, Wiley and Hap Reid; grand-niece, Madeline Reichert, and countless friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Funeral services will be held at 12:30 pm on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at Dayspring Church of the Nazarene in Springfield, with visitation preceding the funeral from 11:30-12:30.  Burial will follow at Missouri Veteran's Cemetery.