Ronald Lee Challacombe

Ronald Lee Challacombe went home to see his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025.

Ron was born December 20th, 1940, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of Harold Martin Challacombe and Eva Pearl Brown Challacombe. He attended several Topeka schools growing up, including Parkdale Elementary, Belvior Grade School, and Highland Park High School. He earned an AA degree from Del Mar Junior College in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In his twenties, he served his country in the United States Army (1963-1965) as part of the 555 Engineering Group in Karlsruhe, Germany. After returning, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Washburn University.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Harold and Eva, and sister Lenetta. He has two brothers and a sister surviving him, Gene (Dixie), Bob (Patti), and Shirley (Randy). On May 27, 1972, Ron married the love of his life, Suzanne Rae Zeferjahn. During their 52 years of marriage, they had four children, one of whom, Courtney, preceded him in death. Survivors also include his wife and three sons (and their spouses), Brant (Rosana), Darin (Paterson), and Ryan Lee (Anna), as well as three grandchildren, Evan, Ruby Louise, and Thomas Ray.

He worked for the State of Kansas and retired after 32 years of service. During his career, he served for one year as the president of the Kansas Patient Account Managers statewide organization. 

In his mid-thirties, he lost the central vision in both eyes and was considered legally blind by the Veterans Administration.

Ronald was a lifelong member of the Assembly of God Church. Throughout his life, he participated in several ministries and served on several boards, including the Topeka Rescue Mission, where he was president for one year, and the credit committee of a local Credit Union. He also volunteered as treasurer of Christians for Life, the Capital City Barbershop Chorus, and the Heartland Regional Group of the Blinded Veterans Association.

One of his lifelong hobbies was music. At 17, he sang in a church quartet choir and was a soloist at church, weddings, and funerals. After returning from the Army and attending college in Corpus Christi, he sang as part of a duo around Corpus Christi and other parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

In 2005, he became interested in genealogy. With the help of his wife and copious amounts of research, he produced three books: one on the Challacombe name, one on the Zeferjahn name, and one on his mother’s lineage.

The Celebration of Life service will be held on January 18th at 10 a.m. at Faith Chapel Assembly of God (15000 Newton Drive, Overland Park, KS), with the visitation starting at 9 a.m. 

The Graveside burial services will be at 12:45 in Topeka, KS, at Mount Hope Cemetary (4700 SW 17th Street) followed by a friend and family luncheon at First Assembly of God (500 SW 27th St, Topeka, KS).