Ronald P. Feldman, 57, CPA and Upper Dublin Township commissioner
Mr. Feldman knew the workings of municipal government. He sat on many of the committees that pave the way for public policy. He also had a fun side - he loved Disney World!
Ronald P. Feldman, 57, of Ambler, a certified public accountant and an Upper Dublin Township commissioner, died Tuesday, June 25, at his home after an 18-month battle with esophageal cancer.
Mr. Feldman worked as an accountant briefly before joining his father, Maurice, in business as M. Feldman & Co. CPA, in Montgomery County. Father and son worked together starting in 1985. In 2006, the younger Mr. Feldman joined the firm Gitomer & Berenholz of Huntington Valley, where he was a partner.
Mr. Feldman’s father died Friday, June 14, just 11 days before his son, according to Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Raphael-Sacks. Services were June 16.
For the last 14 years, Mr. Feldman was an Upper Dublin Township commissioner from Ward 6 in Maple Glen and Dresher. He had been vice president of the governing body since 2012.
“Sitting to my right, he always kept me on task as president and kept the meetings moving along,” said Board of Commissioners President Ira S. Tackel. ”If I erred on a point or two, Ron was always there to help correct the issue.”
Tackel said Mr. Feldman served on township committees that focused on public works, economic development, contracts, pensions, and redevelopment of the Fort Washington Office Park. He was knowledgeable about flood prevention and helped expedite the renovation of two fire stations.
“His involvement as commissioner over the past 14 years goes much deeper than the committees and task forces that Ron has been involved in,” Tackel said. “Ron was a guiding light on all financial matters, especially those concerning our pension fund. He was always willing to ask the tough questions and hold staff accountable.”
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Feldman graduated from Upper Dublin High School and the University of Delaware in 1984, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
His favorite tourist destination was Disney World; he was always trying to persuade his daughters to go there with him, his wife, Jill, said.
“For his youngest daughter’s senior class trip there in May 2018, he offered to be a chaperone and was disappointed when the Upper Dublin School District said that they didn’t let parents join them,” said his wife. “He did go for his last trip there in November 2018 with family and friends.”
She said her husband made a habit of quietly helping others. “Whether as a friend, a board member, an accountant, or a philanthropist, he wanted to help people succeed, especially people who were facing adversity and to whom things did not come easily,” she said.
He volunteered as a trustee both for the Greenfield Foundation, which funds charitable initiatives devoted to improving recipients’ quality of life, and the Cornerstone Manor of Hope, which helps those battling addictions.
He also started the Upper Dublin Citizen Emergency Fund. The fund provides relief to those in Upper Dublin Township “facing a critical, immediate need for food, shelter, medical care, or clothing for their health and well-being,” according to a 2019 township bulletin.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Rachel, Debra, and Amy; his mother, Maxine Feldman; and a brother and sister.
Services were Thursday, June 27, with burial at Roosevelt Memorial Park, Trevose.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lerhaus Institute of Jewish Studies, 1030 Leopard Rd., Rydal, Pa. 19046, or the Upper Dublin Citizen Emergency Fund, 801 Loch Alsh Ave., Fort Washington, Pa. 19034.