Ronald A. Haberkorn

Ronald Haberkorn, 72, of Stow, passed away at Emerson Hospital in Concord on March 30, 2023.  Ron was born at Mercy Hospital in Denver, CO on February 1, 1951, the son of Adam and Elizabeth (Mollendor) Haberkorn.  He grew up in Denver and graduated from North High School there in 1969.  He left his home state to attend Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1973.  From there he continued moving east to pursue graduate studies in chemistry in the lab of Dr. Richard Holm at MIT.  He moved briefly to California when Prof. Holm moved his lab to Stanford University, but after a year returned to finish his PhD in chemistry/NMR under the guidance of Dr. Robert Griffin at the Francis Bitter National Magnet lab, then established at MIT. 

It was during these studies that he was introduced to Phoebe Miller by a mutual friend.  When Phoebe needed a ride home from a gathering, Ron gallantly offered to take her on his motorcycle, and the relationship just kept going from there.  They were married on October 7, 1978, shortly after Ron received his PhD, and left for Switzerland a month after the wedding. There Ron continued postdoctoral work in 2D NMR with Prof. Dr. Richard Ernst at the ETH in Zurich.  During their 16 months in Switzerland, Ron and Phoebe were able to travel extensively around Europe with colleagues and friends, and have maintained many friendships from that period through the years. 

Moving back to Boston in 1980, Ron returned to the Magnet Lab and remained there several years before making a career change to electrical engineering.  While working at the MITRE Corp. as a systems engineer, Ron earned a Masters degree in electrical engineering from Boston University.  He subsequently worked at several start-up companies before returning to MITRE, from which he retired in 2022.

In addition to his wife, Ron is survived by his daughters Catherine Newman and her husband Brandon of Sioux Falls, SD, and Elizabeth (Libby) Haberkorn and her partner Chris Fisher of Cambridge, MA, and three grandsons, Henry, William, and John Robert Newman, all of Sioux Falls, SD.  He also leaves his siblings Elizabeth Thacker and her husband Mike of Greeley, CO, Robert Haberkorn and his wife Nancy of Lakewood, CO, Richard Haberkorn of Ashland, MA and Marilyn Siayap of Denver, CO, plus many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and cousins, in addition to his beloved aunt Virginia Haberkorn of Cheyenne, WY. 

Ron was devoted to his family, and also enjoyed woodworking, photography, dining out and going to the theater.  However his greatest joy outside of his family was sailing, especially on Boston Harbor.  Sailing enlivened and invigorated Ron like nothing else.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Ron Haberkorn at the Pompositticut Community Center, 509 Great Road, Stow, MA, on Saturday, August 12 at 2 PM.  All who knew Ron are invited to attend.  A reception at the Community Center will follow.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Emerson Hospital, the Stow Council on Aging, or a charity of your choice.  The family is grateful for all the caring doctors and professionals who took care of Ron during his lengthy illness, and for the support of our wonderful community.