Ron Ruward, R.I.P.

[ArdraF]

This morning I spoke with Donna (aka Sam) Ruward who let me know that her beloved husband Ron died yesterday. Ron was one of the RV Forum's long-time members who also was on the staff. He had been ill for many years. Many of us traveled with the Ruwards and have fond memories of a man who was always willing to help fix things or go four-wheeling. He will be missed. This picture of Ron was taken in St. George Utah's Snow Canyon in 2005.

Ardra and Jerry FitzGerald

 

[Tom]

Oh dear, I was thinking of Ron in the last couple of days. He was a good friend to many. Quite a number of us stayed at their place in Montana aka Sam's Camp in the years before Ron Suffered a stroke.

Ron worked for Boeing, and supported their customers (i.e. airlines) at various locations around the world. Ron researched RVs and RVing while still posted overseas, and had a plan for RVing during retirement.

RIP Ron, and sincere condolences to Donna and their family.

 

[DonTom]

Username of Ron?

-Don-

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Username of Ron?

-Don-

Ron hasn't been on the Forum since he had his stroke in 2009.

 

[DonTom]

Ron hasn't been on the Forum since he had his stroke in 2009.

I have been here since 2005, so I was wondering if I would recognize his username.

-Don- Ft. Stockton, TX

 

[Lou Schneider]

I have been here since 2005, so I was wondering if I would recognize his username.

-Don- Ft. Stockton, TX

He used his first name, Ron You have to add two spaces after his username to make the current search engine accept it instead of defaulting to users with longer names. Inside of messages he went by his full name, Ron Ruward.

Ron was the first Forum member to make a point of approaching me in person at the end of an early Quartzsite rally to invite me to visit him and Sam (Donna) at their Montana home if I was ever in the vicinity. This touched me because at the time I didn't match the typical Forum profile being single, still working fulltime and a generation younger than the many retired fulltimers at the Rally. And the cheap, older RVs I could afford were more like the ones used by today's RTR van lifers, not one of the new shiny Class As and 5th wheels proudly owned by most of the rally attendees. Unfortunately I never had the chance to take him up on that generous offer.

RIP, Ron.

 

[BernieD]

My condolences to Sam. We'll all miss him. Another Framily member gone.

 

[DonTom]

He used his first name, Ron

That must have been this Ron.

-Don-

 

[Tom]

That must have been this Ron.

-Don-

Correct. That Moab list he posted brings back a lot of memories of passed and past forum members in addition to current long-time forum members.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I was looking through some old photos the other day and found several of Ron & Sam (Donna). Brought back several fond memories of travel with them and our visit to "Sam's Camp", their permanent homebase in Montana. I always chuckle about Ron & Jim Dick awarding me the HPOF (Hit Palm On Forehead) award for getting my RV stuck 3 times in 3 months of travel. I got a plaque and a folding shovel, an army entrenching tool. Since his stroke we've had a few telephone conversations with Ron & Donna, but nothing recent.

 

[BernieD]

Gary, thanks for posting those pictures. I almost didn't recognize myself<LOL>.
With the discussion of Sam's Camp, I am trying to remember the name of their "campground manager." Shirley? I know she died a few years ago, but she was so helpful to all of us transient campers when Ron and Sam were off traveling.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yes, her name was Shirley.

 

[Tom and Margi]

Our condolences to Donna (Sam) and the family. We have fond memories of Ron making hoe cakes at happy hours at Desert Gold in Brenda, AZ where several forum folk stayed. Also enjoyed our single stay at Sam's Camp. Shirley was amazed when Tom locked onto the DirecTV signal on his first try with the dish sitting on the ground.

 

[Tom]

with the discussion of Sam's Camp, I am trying to remember the name of their "campground manager." Shirley? I know she died a few years ago, but she was so helpful to all of us transient campers when Ron and Sam were off traveling.

Shirley Mckeen -see memorial post:

In Memoriam - passed Framily members

This thread will be our memorial to passed forum members, replacing the custom page we had in the old forum software. Apologies for the poor quality of the images; I'll see if I can find higher resolution pics. Paul Hansen passed away in 1998. Ed Juge founder of the original RV Forum, passed...

www.rvforum.net

 

[Jeannine]

We have many fond memories of Ron and Sam. Dan just mentioned how he and Ron used to go fishing near Sam's camp and catch their limit twice a day.

 

[Tom]

A few photos of Ron & his lake fishing when Joe & Audry Darrigo and Chris & I visited Sam's camp. Ron enjoyed cleaning and smoking the catch, and we all enjoyed the eating.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

A few photos of Ron & his lake fishing when Joe & Audry Darrigo and Chris & I visited Sam's camp. Ron enjoyed cleaning and smoking the catch, and we all enjoyed the eating.

Are Joe & Audry in Yuma. Haven't heard from them in a long time.

 

[Tom]

Are Joe & Audry in Yuma. Haven't heard from them in a long time.

Me either.