[Ten Bears]

A bunch of years ago Shortdrift was giving away a vacuum sealer that needed a heating element. I was looking for one at the time but I was working 12 hour days & couldn't make it over there. My wife said she would go over & make a quick stop. She was there a couple hours & were talking about flowers. My wife is crazy over flowers. She has all of them. But he had one she didn't have & he gave it to her. She told me she had a blast talking to him. We still use the vacuum sealer & she still has the flower. I wish that I have had the pleasure of meeting him.

Great story!

 

[brian hartman]

Prayers Sent

 

[CanoeRat]

I received word from Ron’s wife and unfortunately he is in hospice on the last stages of life and being made comfortable with morphine. So his family can use a lot of prayers right now!! I know he has touched a lot of people on here! He has been like a dad to me teaching me so many things! Especially how to respect and navigate Lake Erie. Go in peace my friend!!

FISHERMAN'S PRAYER
God grant that I may fish
Until my dying day;
And when at last I come to rest,
I'll then humbly pray;
When in His landing net
I lie in final sleep;
That in His mercy, I'll be judged
As good enough to keep!

 

[bigbass201]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

 

[den942]

I received word from Ron’s wife and unfortunately he is in hospice on the last stages of life and being made comfortable with morphine. So his family can use a lot of prayers right now!! I know he has touched a lot of people on here! He has been like a dad to me teaching me so many things! Especially how to respect and navigate Lake Erie. Go in peace my friend!!

Sorry to hear this. Prayers to family and friends…

 

[1MoreKast]

Really enjoyed his posts and we even shared some private messages. Didn't get the chance to meet him but I could tell the caliber of man he was. May he watch down on all of us this year as we hit the water in memory of Shortdrift.

 

[y-town]

Prayers sent to Shortdrift and family.

 

[donkey]

Gonna miss that guy!Prayers sent.

 

[DaleM]

I haven’t been on here for over a week and just heard about Ron’s passing. I will say Ron was one of the best people I met on this site, way back in the days when we first started the OGF website he joined us just a few days after it initially got started. Ron was actually one of our moderators for a while. No matter what event we ever had Ron always was there to volunteer and to help out anyway he could. He used to drive all the way down from his home Just a fish with me a few hours either at Buckeye Lake or Alum Creek. He just wanted to get out and fish and have some fun. There were days we never caught anything but I honestly think we had just as much fun spending the day together sharing stories. As has been said I knew he wasn’t feeling well fighting with the Covid but didn’t actually know how sick he was.
Ron my friend you will be missed I was actually looking forward to getting together with you this year and seeing what kind of stories we could come up with some maybe even catch a few fish while doing that. Rest in peace my friend I will miss you, and the next time I’m out on the lake I will look up above and say a special prayer for you and know that your looking down upon me it may be just bring me a little luck.
My prayers go out to you, your family and all your friends. You were and will always be a big part of OGF. Thanks for being there when we had the hair brain idea of starting a website about fishing. I for one am proud of what we created and if you look at this website I’m sure you agree it’s still one of the best if not the best in Ohio. I feel you were part of that and I think you. Again rest in peace my friend I will miss you

 

[DaleM]

I fished Erie for a decade mid 70’s to mid 80’s mosty drifting, occasionally pulling harnesses, but never a plug/crank! Ron was docked at West Harbor(if memory serves me!) and successfully catching limits of nice eyes when it was NOT “routine“ and invited me and my two sons for a day of “trolling” education! He pulled out his “Bill Normans” and put on a clinic! We caught a bunch of fish near Kelly off his 25’ Thompson that day, and my boys still talk abt it! He was the first to tell me abt OGF and got me to join. Ron and I were friends from the early days when I was an engineer at Goodyear and he was a owner/salesman of heat exchangers. We just seemed to hit it off! Later, and older, we fished together occasionally on Erie, mostly for perch in the mid. basin(until there wasn’t any)! We really weren’t very close “socially” but we were “fishing friends“ on the lake! I am very sorry to hear of his latest situation health-wise! I was so sure he would overcome his health issues! Lots of great memories, Fish On, old friend! God’s getting another fishing buddy!
Edit: I emailed my son, Jason in Maryland and mentioned Ron’s status and that Ron had taken us fishing when Jason was abt 10 yrs. old! He was saddened and sent his condolences to the family! Said he remembered that trip like it was yesterday(and it had to have been 35 yrs or more! Ron made a huge “good“ impression on everyone who met him! We’ll miss you, buddy!

Ron loved to take young fishermen out and teach them the tricks. I saw him do this many times. God needed a good fishermen and Ron was his choice. Thanks for being a great Friend and a great member of OGF. Rest in peace my friend.

 

[LEfriend]

As good as they come. First met Ron "electronically" when I bought my Lake Erie Boat in 2008. He was willing to share helpful information with me a newbie (and hundreds of others) - on line and in PM's - more than anyone else on this site. Later had the privilege to meet him in person when - looking for a crappie boat - he drove across the state to buy my 1950's vintage "Lonestar" 14' open fishing boat. That was a great little boat...built like a tank to last a hundred years. The motor had a little problem and Ron quickly diagnosed it as an intermittent fuel pump issue. Understand he customized it and maybe latter sold it for a bigger boat. Also would have occasion to bump into Ron at "Hetfests" at Turtle Creek where I docked. We often talked of getting together to fish but distance and schedules seemed to get in the way.

Thinking of Ron's posts and the "Hetfests" bring back the memories of the good ole days of this site. Before Facebook, and before all the big money tournaments, and the crowds, back when not everything was secret and the country wasn't angry and information was more freely and neighborly shared. Also back in the days when you could count on more stable spring weather and actually pull off something like the old Hetfests in the day without a big blow ruining it.

As someone posted, sadly this wicked disease has claimed so many now. Two years ago I contracted a different autoimmune disease which has left me weak, unable to walk any distance, and immune compromised/highly at risk if I would contract Covid. I haven't been able to fish in 2 years now, unable to drive, have to avoid crowds, and mostly house bound. I can identify with Ron's battle and wish nothing but fair winds and following seas for his family. Rest in peace my friend.

 

[Gottagofishn]

Ron will be sorely missed. He walked the talk and I’m grateful for the little I knew him. If we were all more like him I guarantee the world would be a better place.
Rest In Peace my friend, the Lord will take good care of you.
Al

 

[Lewis]

Ron and I spent many hours in a boat together chasing Walleyes, Saugeyes and Bass. We made several trips just doing some lazy creek fishing. Drilled many a hole through the ice chasing Eyes and panfish from farm ponds to Erie.
In spite of all our fishing, we found time to arrow several bucks together, spending many days in our tree stands.

Ron was one of a kind, for sure. He excelled as a salesman because he sure had the "gift of gab". Never a lack of anything to talk about when you were with Ron...lol

One story that to this day, still makes me laugh until I cry....Ron and I laughed for years about it.
One bright November day Ron and I had his boat hooked up and were headed down 77 to fish Piedmont.
I noticed a small cheese log up on his dashboard wrapped in plastic. A gift someone gave him. Some kind of "9 cheese blend".
Anyways, Ron says, "I'm gonna try some of that". He unwrapped it, and bit a big plug off the end and started to chew.
As the cab of his truck filled up with a retched stench, Ron's eyes bugged out, his face turned beet red, swaying all over the road, he started to gag as he threw the cheese log out the truck window and spit the mouthful into the palm of his hand. I don't know if it was spoiled, but this stuff was like Limburger on steroids!
By this point I'm crying in laughter. We pulled over on the shoulder. Ron cleaned off his hand, collected himself and kept saying "Who in the hell could eat that?"
He complained about that taste in his mouth the rest of the day, while I snickered.
Rest in peace Ron.

 

[Hawg Wobbler 52]

Ron and I spent many hours in a boat together chasing Walleyes, Saugeyes and Bass. We made several trips just doing some lazy creek fishing. Drilled many a hole through the ice chasing Eyes and panfish from farm ponds to Erie.
In spite of all our fishing, we found time to arrow several bucks together, spending many days in our tree stands.

Ron was one of a kind, for sure. He excelled as a salesman because he sure had the "gift of gab". Never a lack of anything to talk about when you were with Ron...lol

One story that to this day, still makes me laugh until I cry....Ron and I laughed for years about it.
One bright November day Ron and I had his boat hooked up and were headed down 77 to fish Piedmont.
I noticed a small cheese log up on his dashboard wrapped in plastic. A gift someone gave him. Some kind of "9 cheese blend".
Anyways, Ron says, "I'm gonna try some of that". He unwrapped it, and bit a big plug off the end and started to chew.
As the cab of his truck filled up with a retched stench, Ron's eyes bugged out, his face turned beet red, he started to gag as he threw the cheese log out the truck window and spit the mouthful into the palm of his hand. I don't know if it was spoiled, but this stuff was like Limburger on steroids!
By this point I'm crying in laughter. We pulled over on the shoulder. Ron cleaned off his hand, collected himself and kept saying "Who in the hell could eat that?"
He complained about that taste in huth the rest of the day, while I snickered.
Rest in peace Ron.

I can hear him saying " Who in the hell can eat that." He was one of a kind.

 

[Lil' Rob]

How about the time (I wasn't there) he had an emerald mixed mixed in with some smelt he cooking?!?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Kenlow1]

He was one of a kind for sure. Condolences to the family.

 

[Safety1st]

I've kept track of the thread at least I think I have...

Forgive me, I did not see where this Ron fellow has actually passed away yet?

Respectfully, S1st

 

[bobk]

I've kept track of the thread at least I think I have...

Forgive me, I did not see where this Ron fellow has actually passed away yet?

Respectfully, S1st

Yes he did pass away. Mentioned on the first page of the thread.

 

[fastwater]

I've kept track of the thread at least I think I have...

Forgive me, I did not see where this Ron fellow has actually passed away yet?

Respectfully, S1st

Post 9...first page by St.Slippy.
Hawg Wobbler 52 also made the official announcement June 8 in the ' OGF Deceased Member' forum.

 

[Safety1st]

Very sorry to hear that, re read lots of the thread and didn't see it but thanks for the clarification. I'll route my prayers towards the family's benefit.