Ronald “Captain Ron” Reiter

Ronald Reiter was born in 1931, in Toledo, Ohio and spent much of his youth boating, playing and ice skating on Lake Erie and the Maumee River. In high school, Ron learned that an acquaintance of his sister needed a boat boy for their schooner and thus a long career was born. Under Mr. Young’s guidance, he would learn many aspects of sailing and would get tips for smooth docking of the vessel. In the 1940s, Ron was selected by Mr. Young to captain a 22-foot Lyman cruiser owned by Guy Lombardo in a race on the St. Clair River. Even with extra passengers aboard, the custom-motored cruiser easily outperformed the other boats.

After graduating high school, Ron joined the US Army and married his sweetheart, Donna, in 1953. After his service was complete, he returned to Toledo and began college at Toledo University. Needing an income, Ron sought employment with his mentor, Mr. Young, who owned A J Young Company which manufactured, installed, and maintained the boilers for the power company and other industries. He began his work as a laborer but soon learned drafting and engineering skills. The company closed in 1961, so Ron and his growing family moved to Cleveland and later to Cincinnati.

In 1972, Ron bought a 26-foot fiberglass lifting keel sloop that he would enjoy on local lakes and rivers and 8 years later a 42-foot Columbia sloop that he sailed down the intercoastal waterway, through Lake Okeechobee, then across the Gulf to Orange, Texas. In 1985, Ron and Donna moved to Gautier, Mississippi and later bought their sloop Terning Point, which they docked in the bayou behind their home. While living in Jackson County, Ron would work for Ingalls Shipbuilding, Chevron Refinery, Brown & Root in Mobile, Alabama and MJ Engineering in Pascagoula.

In 1992, Captain Ron would begin his tenure with the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, crewing with Brandon Boudreaux and Carol Bramblett before becoming qualified as a captain himself. Sailing the historic Biloxi schooners, Glenn L. Swetman and the Mike Sekul, owned by the museum, soon became his favorite pastime. He has since “paid it forward” many times over by teaching others the skills of a deckhand, boatwright and captain. He also influenced the restoration and donation of two catboats, the Fat Cat and Mama Bee, which remain seaworthy and actively sail annually at the “Billy Creel Memorial Wooden & Classic Boat Show” hosted by the museum each spring. This is credited to Captain Ron’s fastidious care in maintaining the schooners and catboats.

All of his accomplishments were simultaneously accompanied by Captain Ron’s generous actions in the communities and churches. Always helping wherever there was a need, Ron selflessly gave his time, attention and efforts – from making hot cocoa and organizing sledding trips for the kids while in Ohio, to recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast.

At the time of this induction into the Heritage Hall of Fame, Captain Ron is 94 years young and can still be found at the wheel, on the bowsprit, or climbing the mast of the historic Biloxi schooners! He is a local legend and a living treasure of the Mississippi Gulf Coast having been interviewed numerous times about his long life on the water. The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum is forever indebted to Captain Ron for his years of dedication to the rich maritime history of our community.