84BDsop Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 1977 BD baritone Ronny Hirata passed away last night. No other details at this time, but his health had never been good. Since returning to the fold with the 07 BD/SCV alum brass ensemble, Ron was a fixture at BD events. If something was going on, there was a good chance he'd be there, and masny members got to know him and feel his support for the org. He was also a member of the Freelancers alum corps....easy to spot playing in his scooter. Farewell, Ron...you will be missed by many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_orangecounty Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Wait a minute............this is freaking me out. Did the Ron Hirata you're referring to go to USC...!? I casually knew a very nice guy named Ron Hirata from a USC football club and he just passed. It must be the same guy! I had NO idea he was in Drum Corps. Wow. He was a kind and gentle soul. May he rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 2 hours ago, greg_orangecounty said: Wait a minute............this is freaking me out. Did the Ron Hirata you're referring to go to USC...!? I casually knew a very nice guy named Ron Hirata from a USC football club and he just passed. It must be the same guy! I had NO idea he was in Drum Corps. Wow. He was a kind and gentle soul. May he rest in peace. Yep....probably the same guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Ron was a courageous man. Despite his health issues he was determined to make a contribution to the Drum Corps community, and did so in several ways, touching the lives of many of his colleagues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskey Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 (edited) 16 hours ago, greg_orangecounty said: Wait a minute............this is freaking me out. Did the Ron Hirata you're referring to go to USC...!? I casually knew a very nice guy named Ron Hirata from a USC football club and he just passed. It must be the same guy! I had NO idea he was in Drum Corps. Wow. He was a kind and gentle soul. May he rest in peace. Yeah, he went to USC. I'm sure the same thoughtful and wonderful man you are referring too. Loved his contras/tubas. Rest in peace sir. Edited February 1, 2021 by Whiskey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 I saw a vid on YouTube that was taken from the field just before BD's victory run (I think it was 2019). There's a yell from the stands, and the whole corps reacts joyfully, pointing at the person who yelled....then someone in the corps asks "Was that Ronny?" So yeah....he made an impact on the last 14 years of BD members, ever since he came back for the 07 alum corps. Makes me even more glad I took the chance to propose a 50th anniversary corps to Dave Gibbs, because if it hadn't happened, Ronny would not really have been there for the kids. In a very real way, he's become as legendary in the org as Jerry Seawright or Tony Odello....not a bad legacy at all 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_orangecounty Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 5 hours ago, Whiskey said: Yeah, he went to USC. I'm sure the same thoughtful and wonderful man you are referring too. Loved his contras/tubas. Rest in peace sir. It is so surreal. He was being mourned on a USC football board and I come here and see the same thing!! It speaks to the kind of person he was. Wish I would have known he marched in Drum Corps and that he was practically a Blue Devil's legend. If he marched in 77 we would have had mutual friends, or at least acquaintances. Fight On Forever, Ron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIat14 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 This one hurt my heart when I found out. He was so kind!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Hirata Almqvist Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 On 2/1/2021 at 12:57 PM, 84BDsop said: I saw a vid on YouTube that was taken from the field just before BD's victory run (I think it was 2019). There's a yell from the stands, and the whole corps reacts joyfully, pointing at the person who yelled....then someone in the corps asks "Was that Ronny?" So yeah....he made an impact on the last 14 years of BD members, ever since he came back for the 07 alum corps. Makes me even more glad I took the chance to propose a 50th anniversary corps to Dave Gibbs, because if it hadn't happened, Ronny would not really have been there for the kids. In a very real way, he's become as legendary in the org as Jerry Seawright or Tony Odello....not a bad legacy at all This is Ronny's sister. That video was taken in 2019 during the DCI championships. Ronny slipped and fell on his back n the bathroom of the hotel he was staying at in Indiana and was even in the hospital, but even in all his pain, he wanted to be there no matter what to see 'his kids'. He is the red dot (probably wearing USC shirt) and shouting "BLUE DEVILS!" They all knew he had fallen and were happy to see him. They were either pointing or giving the #1 sign because they had just won, again. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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