Ron Rosenberg grew up in Whitefish and, according to his friend and fellow local legend Lin Akey, "Ron was one of the kindest human beings I've ever met. He had a big presence and a big personality, and a big heart."  

Rosenberg died in October at 73 years old. 

While his list of accomplishments is impressive – beloved family man, celebrated athlete, successful businessman – his character, principles and good humor are what he'll be remembered for most. 

His son Joel, also a noted athlete, said Rosenberg never wanted athletics to be the only priority. He was more interested in character and having core qualities that "make somebody a good person." 

"That's what he valued the most," Joel said. "It definitely wasn't popularity or status or wealth. He only judged people by their character." 

When it came to having strength of character, Rosenberg walked the walk. Not only did he refrain from blowing his own horn, he was thoughtful with his words. 

"He was always proud, always happy for us kids whenever we had any sort of accomplishment, or his grandkids did anything," Joel said. "He never really had anything negative to say." 

"I never heard him say a bad thing about anybody in all the years I knew him, and we spent a lot of time together," Akey recalled. 

Friends Akey and Kurt Blades, longtime Whitefish optometrist, said one thing Rosenberg didn't have was an ego. 

"He had every reason to have an ego as big as a house," Blades said, listing Rosenberg's outstanding achievements in sport and in business. "He was the first to laugh at himself and the first to pick you up if you were down." 

Julio Delgado, a longtime coach in Whitefish, said Rosenberg wasn't the kind of guy to "toot his own horn" despite all his athletic accomplishments. His attitude and his extraordinary athleticism inspired Delgado to excel in baseball. 

"He had a lot to do with my success because I always wanted to try to match him," Delgado said. "He pushed me and motivated me to be better." 

ROSENBERG CONTRIBUTED to his community, perhaps most notably by being instrumental in helping secure Whitefish High School its first rubberized track.  

"We weren't having any local track meets because we didn't have a proper track," Akey said. "We had an old-fashioned track here that wasn't sanctioned to hold meets on, so we did our best for several years to raise money." 

After years of fundraising alongside Akey, Tim Murphy and a team of other volunteers, the new track was installed in 1998. The A.R.M. Invitational annual track meet in Whitefish was named in honor of Akey, Rosenberg and Murphy for their efforts.

"Ron’s relationship with Whitefish High School reflects the impact one person can have when they remain invested in their hometown and its students," said Aric Harris, Whitefish High School athletics and activities director. "His legacy is not only in his athletic accomplishments, but also in the opportunities he helped create for future generations of Bulldogs." 

The 6-foot-3-inch, 240-pound Rosenberg's size and natural athleticism led him to be a celebrated Whitefish High School Bulldog in football, basketball and track. He was recognized with the Don Schwenke Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award for the 1970-71 school year and was inducted into the Whitefish Bulldog Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Bulldog classmate and teammate, Delgado said the three-sport athlete was not only an outstanding football player, but he helped Whitefish win a basketball state title in 1970 and was a "terrific track star." 

"He ran the high hurdles, and it looked like he was a gazelle," Delgado said. "To see a big guy like that just glide over those high hurdles, it was pretty impressive." 

He went on to play football at the University of Montana where the middle linebacker earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-American honors. He was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1974, and received the Golden Helmet Award, presented annually to the team's hardest hitter. 

In 1975, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. All he would say about his time as a pro was that he "spent a few minutes in Cincinnati."  

"He was a big deal in high school in college, but me, growing up, he never brought it up. He never mentioned it. He never bragged about it," Joel said. "We were aware because other people would tell us, but he was just so humble he didn't see it as important." 

His inner strength persevered during his long illness. Joel said the family prepared several times to say goodbye, and he would rally. 

"We were always joking with him about it," Joel said. "I kept telling him that he was going to outlive me. He still was just so resilient." 

Humor was one of Rosenberg's key characteristics. He liked to laugh. 

"Was Ron a funny guy?" Akey reiterated the question loudly and incredulously. "Ron was hilarious!" 

Akey said Rosenberg was once Prime Minister at the Winter Carnival and "one of the greatest, historically, one of the funniest performers at the Merry Maker." 

A photo of the event in 1999 shows Rosenberg dressed as a pope. He "never said a word, but was the funniest guy in the whole skit," according to Akey. He added that Rosenberg always had a giggle or a laugh and was more upbeat than many.  

Years ago, Akey had paid good money for golf lessons and went to play with Rosenberg and Tim Murphy the following day. He whiffed the ball three times in the tee box and heard his friends giggling. 

"Finally, I stop, and Ron said, 'Geez Akes, didn't you pay about $5,000 for those lessons? I could have taught you that for 50 bucks,'" Akey recalled.  

In high school, Delgado and Rosenberg procrastinated until they had just two minutes to come up with a skit to perform in Jess Wilcomb's history class. 

Quickly, the 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound Rosenberg said he had an idea — the pair would reenact Paul Revere. He told the 5-foot-7-inch, 165-pound Delgado to jump on his back.  

"So, I jumped on his back, and he trotted me around the classroom, and I was yelling, 'The British are coming! The British are coming!' and we got an A plus," Delgado said. "This big giant, and I was just a little guy. It was hilarious. Yeah, he was a funny guy." 

Blades grew up in Columbia Falls, admiring rival Rosenberg's athletic endeavors. When he moved to Whitefish to begin his career, Rosenberg helped with his home loan and invited the doctor to join his golfing group. 

"They enjoyed how poorly I played, but never stopped encouraging me, and I was able to feel real comfortable with the whole group, and Ron in particular," Blades said. "He was a big strong athlete, and soft as a teddy bear once you found out who he was. Everything I think about him was soft and gentle and light." 

The two men became friends, despite Blades being a Montana State Bobcat and Rosenberg, famously, a Griz. During a fundraiser auction, Blades stole Rosenberg's bidding paddle and used it to purchase a Bobcat gift basket.  

"The Bobcat package goes to Ron Rosenberg," Blades recalled the announcement. "Which was kind of a shock to everybody."  

When it came time to pay, Blades, feeling bad about his stunt, offered to cover the cost, but Rosenberg took the joke in stride and took care of the bill. 

"We're all lucky to have had him in our lives," Blades said. "A very positive person to be around and just a delight." 

The big man with a powerful presence and warm heart will be missed. 

"I think anyone that met Ron felt that they were his best friend. He was that kind of person," Akey said. "We often try to make more of people in their death than they were in life, and you don't need to do that with Ron Rosenberg. He was everything. He was the full meal deal. He was good."

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

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Ronald Rosenberg, 73

Ronald Rosenberg during his days as a University of Montana Grizzly football player. (Photo provided)

Ronald Rosenberg with his family, Reese, Shannon, Joel, Hadlee, Oliver, Ron, Karen, Jaidyn, Derek, Kirsten and Rylan, in 2020. (Photo provided)

    Ron Rosenberg and his copilot, Cayman. (Photo provided)