MARCH 14 • 2024 | 69

R

onald Coden, 80, 
of Berkley, died 
March 5, 2024. 
Ron Coden has been 
described as a giant man 
in a leprechaun’s body. He 
had a grand talent to sing 
and make people laugh 
that he used to fulfill his 
life’s mission. He simply 
wanted to help people 
smile, laugh and sing with 
him. Be happy. 
 He was a loving family 
man, a devoted husband, 
father, grandfather, brother 
and uncle. He sang for 
his immediate family and 
his extended family with 
unsurpassed warmth. The 
smile and twinkle in his 
eyes were also shared with 
friends who came to feel 
like family. 
 His love for his wife, 
Renee, burned so bright 
it lit up every room they 
passed through. Renee was 
the muse for a life that was 
a love song. 
 Ron’s influences were Al 
Jolson, Josh White, Laurel 
and Hardy, Walt Disney, 
Abraham Lincoln and his 
brother Steve. He never 
lost the wise impish child 
that saw the world with 
hopeful eyes. 
He was the consummate 
entertainer. With a 
conscience. 
 Ron sang for Focus: 
HOPE for more than 
50 years. No request 
was denied. He loved 
Father Bill Cunningham 
and co-founder Eleanor 
Josaitis. He alone sang 
at all 51 Focus: HOPE 
Music Festivals. He was 
there singing “We Shall 
Overcome” at the Walks 

for Justice. 
 When Father 
Cunningham asked Ron 
to sing at a Good Friday 
service in 1972, Ron said 
yes. He continued to sing 
on Good Fridays for 25 
years, until Cunningham’s 
passing. 
 As Eleanor Josaitis was 
dying, Ron was at her side 
for more than a year. He 
couldn’t leave the room until 
he got a smile or a nod. 
 Ron loved his work as an 
elementary school music 
teacher. For several years he 
taught the little ones to sing 
and play together with music. 
He booked them for a school 
performance once a month. 
He gave them the stage. 
Ron created unforgettable 
characters for five years on 
the Hot Fudge children’s TV 
series. Professor Emotion for 
all of us! 
 On stage, he invited 
other entertainers in the 
audience to join him. 
When he sang “Forever 
Young,” we all became 
younger. He was the fiddler 
on our roof. 
 One night at the 
Railroad Crossing, a little 
girl, Lisa, ran on stage 
during a set and started 

dancing. Ron set down 
his guitar, took her in his 
arms, put her on his lap 
and sang the Unicorn song. 
Just for her. 
 Ron Coden was a 
unicorn. We will never see 
his like again.
Mr. Coden is survived 
by his wife, Renee 
Coden; children, David 
and Christina Coden, 
Kimberly and Josh 
Diskin, and Michael 
Coden; grandchildren, 
Asa and Evelyn Diskin, 
and Harlan and Maurice 
Coden; brother and 
sister-in-law, Stephen and 
Carol Sue Coden; sister, 
Sandy Sipher; nephews 
and nieces, Mark and 
Robyn, Frankie and Jaye, 
Jonathan and Jodi, and 
Emma; sisters-in-law and 
brothers-in-law, Cheryl 
and Carol, Gregg and 
Mai, and Danielle and 
Michael; mother-in-law, 
Beverly Worpell. He is 
also survived by a world of 
family and friends.
He was the beloved son 
of the late Maurice Coden 
and the late Evelyn Coden 
Sipher, and the loving 
brother of the late Arline 
Carris.
Interment was at 
Machpelah Cemetery. 
Contributions may be 
directed to Focus Hope, 
1400 Oakman Bvd., 
Detroit, MI 48238, www.
focushope.edu; Hospice 
of Michigan, 400 Galleria 
Officenter, Suite 400, 
Southfield, MI 48034, 
www.hom.org/donations or 
a charity one your choice. 
Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel. 

A Song in His Heart
Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, 
MI 48108, www.nkfm.
org. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel.

SHEILA 
WEDDELL, 62, 
of New Hudson, 
Michigan, died 
Feb. 28, 2024. 
She is survived 
by her beloved husband, 
Charles Weddell; children, 
Andrea Meyers, Heidi (Ryan) 
Logan, Caitlin Weddell, 
Matthew Weddell and Casey 
Weddell; grandchildren, 
Oliver, Finnian, Jace, Ava and 
Maisie; brother and sister-in-
law, Jason (Michelle) Stockler. 
Also survived by her adoring 
dog, Grady, and many other 
loving family members and 
friends. 
Interment was held 
at Clover Hill Park 
Cemetery in Birmingham. 
Contributions can be 
made to the Pulmonary 
Fibrosis Foundation or to 
the Detroit Animal Rescue. 
Arrangements by Dorfman 
Chapel.

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Ronald Coden