Ronald R. Dejaeghere

(Age 86) Sterling Heights, MI., died June 26th at 12pm of cardiovascular failure. Born June 13, 1932 in Detroit Michigan, the son of Belgian immigrants Jeanne and Ivo Dejaeghere who came to Detroit after World War I. After graduating from South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores Michigan in 1949 he began his career as janitor/stock boy for the S.S.Kresge Co. in Grosse Pointe Michigan where he met his wife of 63 years, Marguerite Anne Mckillop. The Kresge Co. later changed its name to Kmart Corporation. Ron joined the Kresge management training program in 1951 and worked in several stores in the Detroit area as assistant manager. In 1958 he relocated to Chicago where he worked as assistant to the Mid-Western Region Merchandise manager. He was promoted to store manager in 1959 and managed three Kresge stores in the Chicago market. In 1964 was promoted to the Kmart division in Casper Wyoming as the youngest Kmart manager, opening the 77th Kmart, the first in the Rocky Mountains. He managed four Kmarts in the Rocky Mountains. In 1969 he was promoted to District Manager for the 18 store Rocky Mountain District which stretched from El Paso Texas to Billings Montana. While in that position he revised the form on which the stores reported their dollar investment in merchandise each month by department, simplifying the format, it was accepted and implemented in all stores by corporate management. In 1971 he was promoted in to the Western Regional office in Los Angeles which supervised the 11 western states where he served as Regional Merchandise manager. In 1973 he was promoted to Assistant Regional Manager for the Western Region handling store operations and expense control. While in that position he developed a more efficient way to handle the filling of counters, which was incorporated nation wide. He also rewrote the operational efficiency sheet simplifying its use in stores. In 1978 he was promoted to Kmart Headquarters in Troy Michigan as Director of Corporate Training. While in this position he was asked to develop the Kmart Video Network. After getting that up and running he also developed a system for receiving, storing, and moving merchandise more efficiently from the stockroom to the Kmart sales floor. This ultimately was implemented in all stores. In 1979 he was promoted to Director of Advertising and Sales Promotion. While handling this position he also supervised the "Look of the 80's" remodeling of Kmart stores. In 1982 he was promoted to Vice President of Marketing. In 1985 he was made Vice President of Store Planning and Design. In this position along with other duties he accepted the challenge to redesign the checkout counters to improve the cashiers efficiency and speed by simplifying their tasks; when this was completed it was also implemented in all stores. His last assignment was Vice President of Community Relations at Kmart Headquarters in Troy Michigan working with various segments of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce. He retired in 1990 after 41 years of service. He served in the US Army in Korea during the war and was awarded The Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. He is survived by his wife Marguerite, four children: Pam (John) Martin, Sue Dejaeghere, Janet (James) Loridas, and Margaux (Steve) Drake and thirteen grandchildren: Kathryn, Elizabeth, Stephanie, Nicholas, Katie, Christopher, Tyler, Zoe, Atticus, Aristotle, Stevie, Ellie, and Teddy, also one great grandchild, Riley. Predeceased by his two sons Ronald Dejaeghere Jr. and Doug Dejaeghere The various moves in his career over the years required the Dejaegheres to live in Detroit, Chicago, Casper Wyoming, Denver Colorado, Palos Verdes California, Bloomfield Hills/Sterling Heights Michigan, and Melbourne Beach Florida. Ron Attended Stanford University (Business Executive Program) and Harvard University (Marketing Program). (Age 86) Sterling Heights, MI., died June 26th at 12pm of cardiovascular failure. Born June 13, 1932 in Detroit Michigan, the son of Belgian immigrants Jeanne and Ivo Dejaeghere who came to Detroit after World War I. After graduating from South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores Michigan in 1949 he began his career as janitor/stock boy for the S.S.Kresge Co. in Grosse Pointe Michigan where he met his wife of 63 years, Marguerite Anne Mckillop. The Kresge Co. later changed its name to Kmart Corporation. Ron joined the Kresge management training program in 1951 and worked in several stores in the Detroit area as assistant manager. In 1958 he relocated to Chicago where he worked as assistant to the Mid-Western Region Merchandise manager. He was promoted to store manager in 1959 and managed three Kresge stores in the Chicago market. In 1964 was promoted to the Kmart division in Casper Wyoming as the youngest Kmart manager, opening the 77th Kmart, the first in the Rocky Mountains. He managed four Kmarts in the Rocky Mountains. In 1969 he was promoted to District Manager for the 18 store Rocky Mountain District which stretched from El Paso Texas to Billings Montana. While in that position he revised the form on which the stores reported their dollar investment in merchandise each month by department, simplifying the format, it was accepted and implemented in all stores by corporate management. In 1971 he was promoted in to the Western Regional office in Los Angeles which supervised the 11 western states where he served as Regional Merchandise manager. In 1973 he was promoted to Assistant Regional Manager for the Western Region handling store operations and expense control. While in that position he developed a more efficient way to handle the filling of counters, which was incorporated nation wide. He also rewrote the operational efficiency sheet simplifying its use in stores. In 1978 he was promoted to Kmart Headquarters in Troy Michigan as Director of Corporate Training. While in this position he was asked to develop the Kmart Video Network. After getting that up and running he also developed a system for receiving, storing, and moving merchandise more efficiently from the stockroom to the Kmart sales floor. This ultimately was implemented in all stores. In 1979 he was promoted to Director of Advertising and Sales Promotion. While handling this position he also supervised the "Look of the 80's" remodeling of Kmart stores. In 1982 he was promoted to Vice President of Marketing. In 1985 he was made Vice President of Store Planning and Design. In this position along with other duties he accepted the challenge to redesign the checkout counters to improve the cashiers efficiency and speed by simplifying their tasks; when this was completed it was also implemented in all stores. His last assignment was Vice President of Community Relations at Kmart Headquarters in Troy Michigan working with various segments of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce. He retired in 1990 after 41 years of service. He served in the US Army in Korea during the war and was awarded The Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. He is survived by his wife Marguerite, four children: Pam , Sue, Janet, and Margaux and thirteen grandchildren: Kathryn, Elizabeth, Stephanie, Nicholas, Katie, Christopher, Tyler, Zoe, Atticus, Aristotle, Stevie, Eleanor, and Theadora, also one great grandchild, Riley. The various moves in his career over the years required the Dejaegheres to live in Detroit, Chicago, Casper Wyoming, Denver Colorado, Palos Verdes California, Bloomfield Hills/Sterling Heights Michigan, and Melbourne Beach Florida. Ron Attended Stanford University (Business Executive Program) and Harvard University (Marketing Program).

Ronald R. Dejaeghere

June 13, 1932 - June 26, 2018