Pastor James Ronk

ARITON.....Pastor James Silas Ronk, a resident of Ariton, died Saturday morning, December 28, 2019 at his home. He was 82.

Homegoing services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, January 3, 2019 in the Earl Bankston Memorial Chapel with Apostle J.W. Denkins officiating. Graveside services, with military honors, will follow in the Universalist Cemetery, Hwy. 51, Ariton. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 8:00 P.M. Thursday at the funeral home.

Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to Jehovah Jireh Ministries, 120 Lauren St., Ariton, AL 36311.

Pastor Ronk, son of the late Leander Ronk and Eloise Wavelene Harshbarger Ronk, was a native of Milton, West Virginia and moved to Ariton in 1998. He was Pastor of Jehovah-Jireh Ministries in Ariton since 2004 which started in downtown Ariton and later moved to its current location. His ministry, Jehovah-Jireh means “God will provide”.  A sanctuary, dining area, and some outside work have been completed. Pastor Ronk was loved by all and would help anyone he could. He was a faithful, humble, dedicated man of God, and had a great passion for god and his work. Pastor Ronk was a prayer warrior that had seen miracles, healings and deliverances. One could hear Pastor Ronk’s Radio Broadcast every Friday morning on WELB AM Radio, Elba, Alabama.

Pastor Ronk in earlier years was a golf caddy for Jack Nicholson and had worked with various companies including Balls-Balls Stone Quary, Scot Depot Glass Factory, Harold Daultons as a heavy equipment operator. He was a partner with his son, Jim in J & J Construction. He was a Vietnam Era veteran having served in the United States Navy. Pastor Ronk was preceded in death by two sisters, Emmalee Ronk and Wilma Campbell; four brothers, Victor Ronk, Manford Ronk, Bearl Ronk and Newell Taft Keaton; three grandchildren, Queena Balch, Lena Lanning, and Timothy Ronk; his son-in-law, Jeff Lanning.

Surviving relatives include his wife of thirty one years, Jennie Lou Bondurant Ronk, Ariton; his children, Debra Ann Balch (Elmer), Glouster, OH; James Lee Ronk (Victoria), Ariton, AL; Tina Marie Ronk, Glouster, OH; Wayne Allen Ronk (Mary Jo), Junction City, OH; David Keith Bondurant (Penny), Baltimore, OH; Toni Allen Bondurant (Christine), Jeffersonville, OH;  and Victoria Lou Elkins (Mark), Ariton, AL; sister, Deloris F. Ronk Parsley Miller, Coolville, OH; two brothers, Leander Ronk, Jr. (Loretta), Hazard, KY and Frederick Sandy Keaton (Paulette), Milford, OH; twenty grandchildren, twenty-four great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Serving as active pallbearers Robbie Murphy, Will Taylor, Angus Murphy, Jerry Shepherd, Jerone Shepherd, Brian Mucurio, and David Elkins.