Ronald Earl Weissenberger of Orleans died peacefully at Plymouth Beth Israel Hospital on Dec. 20, 2021. He was 76. Born in Huron, Ohio, he was the son of the late Earl and Dorothy Linder Weissenberger.
Ron attended Kent State University, where he participated in the peaceful anti-Vietnam War demonstration on May 4, 1970 when National Guardsmen shot and killed four students. He was among the 25 students subsequently charged with rioting, destruction of property, and interfering with a fireman. The government later dropped all charges. Ron graduated with a degree in speech and secondary education in 1971.
He came to Provincetown in the early 1970s, became part of the fabric of the town, and stayed for 45 years. He worked as a projectionist at local theaters, ran the galley on a whale watch boat, and was the host of a restaurant.
He also thrived as an actor, director, and playwright with the Provincetown Theater for many years. He made his stage debut in a 1973 production of Jean Genet’s The Balcony and played the role of Joseph Goebbels in the world premiere of Charles Horn’s Eva Braun, A Musical Fantasy in 1978. In 1979 he directed Kurt Vonnegut’s Happy Birthday, Wanda June and he directed his own Staying Together, An Argument in One Act in 1989.
A review published in The Register praised the play for the way it “manages to hit emotionally responsive cords with humor and makes you laugh — not only at the characters but at yourself.”
Another of his plays was performed as a staged reading at the Actors’ Studio in New York.
Ron found joy working with students as a substitute teacher in Provincetown schools, where he also directed three senior class plays and a musical with his wife, Linda, a Provincetown music teacher.
Ron’s artistry also took shape in pressed flower creations and driftwood collages. He was a loyal fan of the Celtics, the Patriots, and the Red Sox. He loved the moments spent with his grandchildren jumping into a go-cart or feeding butterflies.
He is remembered as a kind, unassuming man who, with Linda, filled their home with art, music, and frequent Scrabble games. Ron’s genuine smile made strangers feel welcome.
He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Linda; daughter Emily Brough and husband Zack of Aptos, Calif.; stepson Dana Squire of Orleans; stepdaughter Amy Buckley and husband Richard of Bethesda, Md.; brother-in-law Richard and wife Lynn of Mashpee; nephew Daniel Harris of Worcester; sister Nann Weissenberger and husband Donald Wolcott of Salem; niece Carla Williams and husband Robert of Oxford; niece Delaney Simpson and partner Jennifer Wolff of Salem; great-nephew Joshua Stacey of Arizona; and beloved grandchildren Thomas, Matthew, and Mark Buckley and Alice Brough.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at a time to be announced. The family thanks neighbors and caregivers who provided love and support, along with Nauset Family Practice, Alzheimer’s Family Support Center, and Plymouth Beth Israel Hospital’s Senior Behavior Group.
In remembrance of Ron, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center, 2095 Main St., Brewster 02631.
