Ronald Dieumegard, 75, dies

Ronald Dieumegard, a longtime Long Island resident known as a free spirit who spent his life helping others, died July 20 of cancer. He was 75.

Dieumegard traveled the country in his RV, helped out with various groups and participated in extreme sports up until the time he was diagnosed with stage 4 myeloma, according to his family.

"He absolutely loved roller coasters and barefoot water skiing," said his son Kevin Dieumegard of West Babylon. "He only stopped doing those things five months ago when he got sick."

Dieumegard was born on Sept 3, 1937, in Wyckoff Heights, Brooklyn. He moved with his family to Copiague, where he spent the rest of his life. He graduated from Amityville Memorial High School, where he played football.

He took classes at several colleges, including Adelphi University. He went into the roofing business and later into real estate, his family said. He owned and rented more than 20 homes on Long Island.

Throughout his life he raced motorcycles for Kawasaki and recorded 50 jumps as a sky diver.

His greatest passion was volunteer work and for more than 20 years he assisted Camp Adventure on Shelter Island, which hosts children with cancer and their siblings for a week. He also volunteered as an organizer for the annual Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged in Nassau County, was a member of the Long Island Citizens for Community Values, and donated to the Long Island Teens Challenge, according to the family.

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Dieumegard also loved traveling in recreational vehicles, his most recent a 40-foot RV with capacity for 10. During a trip a few years ago, he came across an Iraq veterans group of motorcyclists riding to raise funds for Camp Hope, a retreat for wounded soldiers. In what friends and family called typical fashion, he ended up traveling with the group for six months.

He often collected clothing to store in his RV and pass out during his trips, family and friends said.

"Ron was one of those people who do what they feel is right and what makes them happy," said Amy Di Leo, a close friend who met Dieumegard as a fellow volunteer at Camp Adventure. "He touched a lot of lives."

In addition to his son Kevin, Dieumegard is survived by son Wayne Dieumegard of San Francisco and daughters Denise Rockhill of Buford, Ga., and Amalie Allen of Bructon, Tenn.; four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his two former wives.

His life will be celebrated with an ice cream social Friday from 7 to 11 p.m. at the West Sayville Fire Department.