Ronald John "Buddy" McGregor

Ronald John "Buddy" McGregor, 90, of Rogers passed away Thursday, March 9. He was born Jan. 10, 1927 in Clintonville, Wis., to Ralph and Magnolia "Christy" McGregor Hankins. Buddy proudly served during WWII in the Army Air Corps then returned to Rogers to help his father run Sunbeam Dairy and to join his new bride Jo Leslie McGregor. After closing the dairy, Buddy and Jo opened Lakeside Roller Rink and Miniature Golf at Lake Atalanta in 1962 and for 16 years gave a generation of Rogers' youth a safe and fun place to gather. As a quasi-retirement, he and Jo opened McGregor Antiques and enjoyed restoring and refinishing furniture in the ‘old' red barn on Olive Street. Buddy had an adventurous spirit that included riding motorcycles, piloting his own plane, crafting and sailing his sailboat, and spelunking in local caves. He was a natural artist and painted local landscapes. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Jo McGregor; two daughters, Ronna Martfeld (Tom) of Bella Vista and Christa Johnson of Bentonville; grandchildren, Brian Martfeld (Anne) of Springdale, Amy Johnson (Kevin) of Rogers, Michael Johnson (Jordan) of ElDorado, four great-grandchildren and numerous dear friends. Special thanks to the staff at Innisfree Nursing Center. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Monday March 13 in the Chapel of Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers. The Funeral Service, officiated by Associate Pastor Bill Burchit of Hope Church NWA, will be Tuesday, March 14, also in the Chapel, followed by interment with full military honors in Rogers Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers. Condolences may be expressed at www.RollinsFuneral.com.