Ronald Clifton Anstey

Newmarket, NH - Ronald (Ron) Clifton Anstey, beloved husband of the late Cynthia Louise Fitzgerald Anstey, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully at his home in Newmarket, NH, on Sunday, August 18th, 2024 at the age of 76, after a long illness.

Born on September 27, 1947, in Somerville, MA, Ron was the cherished son of Mary Beryl Wallington Anstey and Lloyd Clifton Anstey. He grew up in a loving Christian family, surrounded by his siblings and parents who instilled in him the values of kindness, respect, hard work, good humor and a deep faith in God.

After Ron graduated from Woburn High School in 1965, he embarked on a distinguished career in the United States Navy. Serving with honor from 1965 to 1971 as an Electrician's Mate 1st Class on the USS James K. Polk (SSBN-645) and USS Sturgeon (SSN-637), he earned the respect and admiration of his peers. His time in the Navy was a formative experience that led through Spain, Scotland, the North Pole and all the secret places in the deep blue between, it shaped his character and instilled in him a lifelong love and passion for his country and its servicemen and women. After helping to set up the James K. Polk Veterans Association, Ron proudly served four years as its 2nd president.

After his honorable discharge, Ron worked for a short time as a journeyman electrician before pursuing his passion for engineering, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lowell in 1978. He spent the majority of his career in nuclear licensing, working for renowned companies such as Stone & Webster Engineering, Florida Power & Light, and Bechtel Engineering. But it was his time at Gilbert Associates Consulting which took him and his family on a grand two year adventure to the Republic of South Africa which was one of the great joys of his career. His dedication to his work was surpassed only by his love for his family and the joy he found in building his life with his beloved Cindy.

Ron was a man of many talents and interests. He was an avid reader, devouring science fiction, fantasy, westerns, thrillers, and just about anything else that caught his bright blue eyes. He was a joyful supporter of the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots and Celtics. His love for music was evident in his ability to play the trombone and keyboard, and his woodworking, electrical and construction skills of all sorts left people in awe and often remarking, “there is nothing Ron can’t do.” But his most passionate interest was exploration, Ron’s travels took him across four continents and nearly every state in the union, where he embraced the beauty and diversity of the world and all the people he met. 

Ron’s sense of humor was legendary—silly, sharp, and always kind. He had a brilliant mind and a heart full of love, traits that endeared him to everyone he met. A man of deep Christian faith, Ron believed in the goodness of people everywhere and treated everyone with the dignity and respect they deserved.

Ron is survived by his loving family: his son, Stephan Anstey, and daughter-in-law, Ellen, of Lowell, MA; his daughters, Jennifer Anstey of Glasgow, Scotland and Melissa Kate Anstey Smith of Newmarket, NH; his grandchildren, Emily Donovan, her husband, Andrew, and their sons, Simon and Benjamin, of Lowell, MA; Cameron Anstey and his wife, Dana, of Lowell, MA; Nicole Smith of Newmarket, NH; and Megan Smith and her partner, Keanu Koerts Meijer, of Newmarket, NH.

He is also survived by his sisters: Beryl McGrath and her husband, Bernard, of Saint Petersburg, FL; Gloria Medeiros of Tewksbury, MA; Linda Rose of Nashua, NH; and Joyce Anstey of Largo, FL; his sister-in-law Barbara Fitzgerald of Gloucester, MA; his sister-in-law, Ruth Anstey, of Nashville, TN; and his dear friend, Robert Thomas Jones, and his wife, Suzanne Richardson Gillis, of Chelmsford, MA.

Additionally, Ron is survived by many nieces and nephews, including Deborah McGrath, Lori McGrath, Michael McGrath, Kristine Medeiros, Chris Rose, Sterling Rose, Michelle Rose-Larochelle, Bruce Edward Anstey, Mary Katherine Bixler, Jonathan Anstey, Bonnie Smith, Mark Fitzgerald, Amy Daly, and Erin Palmesano, along with their families.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 43 years, Cynthia Louise Fitzgerald Anstey; his parents Lloyd Clifton and Mary Beryl Anstey; his brother Bruce; his niece Dianne McGrath Ashbaugh; his brother-in-law Walter Fitzgerald Jr.; and his parents-in-law Walter Fitzgerald Sr. and Phyllis Audrey Durgin Fitzgerald. 

His family invites everyone to celebrate Ron’s life at a memorial service on September 29th, 2024 from 12pm to 4pm at Dracut American Legion Hall at 574 Broadway Rd, Dracut, MA 01826. The service will start at 12:15 and will be followed by a luncheon and celebration until 4pm. Please come dressed joyfully and ready to share memories and stories of Ron. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Ron’s memory to The United States Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation, in support of the men and women he considered part of his family, a cause close to his heart.

Ron will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his legacy of love, faith, and humor will live on in the hearts of his family and friends.