Ronald P. (Ron) Kolinko

Ronald P. Kolinko, 85, of River Rd., passed away on July 2, 2023.

Ron was born in Greenfield on July 28, 1937, the son of Peter F. and Sophia M. (Sadoski) Klinker. Ron started piano lessons at the age of 8. He attended Deerfield Academy and Wesleyan University where he studied music. He received a Master of Music in Theory and Piano at the Poland Music Conservatory in Warsaw, Poland. He lived and worked in Poland from 1961-72 and traveled extensively in eastern Europe. Ron spoke Polish, French, and Dutch as well as English. He composed and recorded his own piano music.

In 1979 Ron first began working at Blessed Sacrament Church in Greenfield. From there he became organist at St. Brigid’s in Amherst. He had no choir there, but in the meantime Ron was singing and organizing a choir at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Church in S. Deerfield, where singing was done in Old Church Slavonic and English. From St. Brigid’s he moved to Sacred Heart in Greenfield.

While working at St. Brigid’s, Ron read an article about a Byzantine Catholic monastery north of San Francisco. He soon went west and stayed at the monastery for 2 weeks during which time he came across a book there on dog training at another monastery in NY. Being a dog lover, he petitioned the community of monks, nuns and lay people there to join their religious family. In 1984, his two closest friends drove to New Skete, NY with a few of his belongings and there in October of 1985, Ron was professed as a monk and remained there for the next 10 years; praying and singing, training dogs, working with the brothers to support themselves. Later, when Ron returned to his home in Deerfield, he enjoyed training and boarding dogs.

Ron served as church musician at St. Joseph’s Parish in Shelburne Falls since 1995, where he was hired by the late Fr. Ralph Polone. He performed as soloist, pianist, organist and choir director. Ron composed and arranged music for the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church choir and also served at their two mission churches - St. John the Baptist in Colrain, and St. Christopher’s in Charlemont. He was so inspired there as choir director, they began singing in 2, 3, and 4-part harmony.

Ron was a member of the Northampton-based group The Young At Heart Chorus, from 2010 to 2017. He charmed audiences with his ability to sing in many languages. Ron traveled with  this group, performing in Canada and throughout Europe. In 2011 his voice rang out in his beloved Poland, in Poznan.

Ron’s love for music kept him going through two bouts of cancer. Explaining that time to church members he said, “Music for me was a power that lifted me up and healed me.” He also said, “What a joy to play the organ and hear the congregation’s voices soaring upward!  As long as I can climb the stairs, use my fingers and feet, I’ll be serving the Lord and you with my time, treasure and talent.”

Among his many friends, Ron is survived by his partner David Larsen, his brother-in-law, Bentti Hoiska, his niece Tuula Hoiska Fai, and a nephew, Tjalling Hoiska. Ron was pre-deceased by his brother Brian Klinker and sisters Geraldine Klinker and Elaine Hoiska.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Greenfield YMCA

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