I was so very saddened to get the news of Ron's passing on that Tuesday. Bad news travels fast, indeed. I had just spoken with Ron the Saturday before when he related some of his travel experiences out west and back. He especially raved about the Zion National Park in Utah. I'm going to make it a point to vist there--it's now on my "bucket list!"
Ron was one of the first people I met when I moved to Muskegon in 1974. We were both working as planners at the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission. I'm a native New Yorker and from a different culture, but Ron and I became fast friends and remained good friends all these 40+ years. We saw each other frequently, but not nearly often enough. In contrast to his "big bear" looks, Ron was one of the most affable, soft-spoken and gentle men I've ever known. His work on develping affordable housing in Oceana County dovetailed with my work in Muskegon County to improve the quality of life for the poor and under-served. We had many discussions about the attendant struggles to make good things happen in our respective political arenas.
But, what I will remember and treasure most is Ron's wry wit and ironic sense of humor--born of the '60s--that is reflected in his passion for making music. Rochelle and I have been listening to Ron's and Mike Linder's "Sons of Gravity" CDs and remarking how good they are and how rarely you hear this kind of music anymore. My parting thought is that Ron was really a son of levity. He'll be a long time gone and Rochelle and I will miss him.
Peter Sartorius, Muskegon
