More Images

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.—Services were held recently for Ronald Williams De Long, a longtime optical industry executive who was very involved in raising awareness for low vision issues. De Long passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 9 here, at the age of 78. De Long earned his BA at UCLA and MBA at USC and devoted much of his career to low vision. He was a distributor of magnifying aids and previously served as managing partner of Myoptica, CEO of Vision Advantage International, vice president of sales and marketing with Visionics Corp., and, for many years, served as vice president of new business ventures at Coburn Optical.

De Long was past president and founding board member of the Low Vision Council and Low Vision Division of The Vision Council, a former board member of the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association and member of the American Optometric Association Low Vision Section. He was also a speaker and author on marketing, quality management, and low vision.

De Long was born in Los Angeles to the late Ronald and Margaret (Croft) De Long and raised in Los Angeles and Arcadia, Calif. He leaves a wife, Stephanie Kyser De Long, a sister, Linda Valliant (Bill), five children—Marti Duyshart (Eric), Debbie Suddarth (Jack), Terri De Long, Ronny De Long, Justin De Long—one stepdaughter, Heather Walter, five grandchildren (Peter and Mark Duyshart, Jake and McKenna Suddarth, Meredith De Long), and two step-grandchildren (Ela Zielinski and Zev Walter).

As his family noted, De Long's wit, wisdom, and dry humor will be dearly missed. Whether it was trouncing The New York Times crossword, viewing golf vicariously, or working on his websites, Ron remained a man of many interests. He traveled the world and joyfully settled on small-town desert life in retirement.

Remembrances can be sent to Keawala’I Congregational Church, Makena, Hawaii, a place he loved dearly, or the UCLA Chancellors Blue and Gold Scholarship Fund. He was immensely proud that four generations of De Longs have now graduated from his alma mater, his family also noted.