Ron L. Shubkin

Ronald Lee Shubkin died peacefully on the night of October 5, 2022, with his wife of 55 years, Swee, holding his hand.
Ron was born in New York City on August 27, 1940, the son of Seymour Shubkin and Anne Schumer. His family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was 10, but he never lost his New York accent despite living in the South for most of his life. He graduated from Myers Park High School and became a proud Tar Heel at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where he majored in chemistry. A 1962 graduate of UNC, his love of chemistry took him to the University of Wisconsin in Madison to obtain his PhD.
Ron did a post-doctoral program in London, England where a chance ski trip to Austria introduced him to the love of his life, Swee Chin Quek, a Singaporean native who really didn’t ski. Following their marriage in 1967, they moved to Detroit, MI where Ron started his career as a research chemist with Ethyl Corporation. He remained with the company for his entire 35-year career, developing and working on projects that proudly led to 31 patents on chemical processes that remain a mainstay in the automotive and manufacturing world. His intellectual curiosity pushed him to get an MBA from Michigan State University so that he could bridge his scientific expertise to the real-world application of his ideas. During that time, he proudly raised two girls, attending every piano recital and figure skating meet over the years. The family moved to Baton Rouge in 1983 where Ron developed a love of Cajun music and a taste for gumbo. In his retirement, he and Swee were able to indulge their love of travel, visiting over 65 countries and all 7 continents to learn about cultures around the world.
Ron is survived by his wife, Swee Shubkin, his daughter Cathy Shubkin (Steve) of Hanover NH, granddaughters, Ella & Natalie Chapman, and daughter Terry Shubkin (Simon) of Wellington, New Zealand.  He is preceded in death by his mother, Anne Shubkin Hutto, father, Seymour Shubkin, and his step father, James Hutto.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the nurses, doctors, and staff at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center who cared for Ron with grace and compassion.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held on October 15, 2022, from 2 - 4 pm at Resthaven Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.