Personal Life
On 4 March 1957, Barassi married Nancy Kellett, who he had met at work four years earlier. They settled in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, at Heathmont, and had three children: Susan (born 29 July 1960), Ron (born 23 June 1962) and Richard (born 13 February 1964). The couple separated in 1975, and Barassi married Cherryl Copeland in 1981. During his coaching career at North Melbourne he survived a car crash, which caused life threatening injuries and resulted in the loss of his spleen. His passenger, ex-St Kilda player and Brownlow medallist Neil Roberts, was also hurt. Barassi used a motorised buggy and a wheelchair for a short time. Despite this setback, he attended training nights at Arden Street and could be seen directing players with assistants.
Ron's first trip overseas occurred in 1961. He has since travelled much of the world. In 1967 in New York City during the Australian Football World Tour, Barassi was involved in a fight in which detective Brendan Tumelty broke Barassi's nose and both were sent to the same hospital. They have been friends since.
Barassi moved to the suburb of St Kilda in the late 1970s and has lived there ever since.
For many years, Barassi owned the Mountain View Hotel at 70 Bridge Road in Richmond.
For his 70th birthday he did a trek of the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea.
On 28 February 2008 Ron Barassi launched and signed his book Barassi, focusing on his personal life and scrapbook memoirs.
On New Year's Eve 2008 Ron Barassi was assaulted when he went to the aid of a young woman in St Kilda. Barassi, dining with friends, saw a woman punched to the ground around 12.30 am.
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