Ronald Edgington

Ronald Hugh Edgington was born in Denver, Colorado to Royal Hal and Alice Marie Edgington on March 23, 1951.

Growing up, he was very active and athletic. He always said his mother had the patience of a saint as he got into all sorts of mischief, such as blowing up his chemistry set in the basement. He played football and baseball through high school, riding his bike up and down the steep hills of Denver to and from practice. No doubt, that's how he developed his famous athletic legs. He played the clarinet and loved old musicals. He graduated from Bear Creek High School in 1969. For the 50-year class reunion, he shared his favorite person quote: "I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it." в?' Charles M. Schulz

Ron had a tender nature. "We will always remember Ron's demeanor and calmness. He was his Father's son in many ways." в?' Wayne Edgington

His father, Royal, really did live inside Ron. His entire life, Ron treasured a yellowed paper his father had written in 1949 on the existence of God. "Only through faith in God can one truly know right from wrong." Royal was a man of strong faith who believed in being of service to his fellowman. His father's career was devoted to social work, where he supervised Adult and Medical Services in Denver for 32 years, as well as volunteered his time on the boards of many charitable organizations helping seniors and those with multiple sclerosis.

After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, Ron followed his father's footsteps, working as a social worker in the Denver public schools before moving to New Mexico. There, he held multiple positions at the gas and electric public utility, in revenue operations and customer service. He advanced at the Gas Company of NM, then PNM (Public Service Company of New Mexico), and finally the New Mexico Gas Company, before retiring in 2011. He continued caring for young people, working with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Serving others gave meaning to Ron's life. Ron was good and pure to the core of his heart and he cared about people with gentleness and selflessness. Even while in pain, he never complained and was always more concerned for others, bringing a ready smile and comfort to those around him.

Ron's quiet faith came from his father, who wrote "religion is the necessary sustenance and without religion, the spirit lacks life itself." Ron and his father shared the same favorite things. Royal loved spending time with family, going to the mountains, fishing, Bronco games, and reading history. In his papers, Ron's father wrote of the guiding hand that brought about the most beautiful things to the world. "Nature is only enjoyed when we have confidence that God is the engineer of the universe."

Like his father, Ron was drawn outdoors every chance he could. Ron and Sandy loved the outdoors and being with nature, hiking and picnics. Nature was where they connected with God and to each other. The forests and mountain streams were special sanctuaries of beauty and nourishment for their souls. Twelve years ago, Ron chose their special rock in the Sandia Mountains to propose to Sandy, his soul mate and love of his life. Together, they hiked everywhere: through the Black Hills of Wyoming, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and the rolling rural countryside of Arizona and Texas. While he loved fishing, Ron didn't catch a single fish in all the years they were together. But that didn't matterв?¦it was the laughter they always remembered from those fishing trips.

Ron respected his father's military service in World War II as a surgical technician on Guam and Saipan. Intensely patriotic, Ron loved our Country and freedoms. Like his father, Ron was an avid reader of history and prayed for America. Ron's father also passed down to Ron a firm belief in evidence-based science and medicine. Ron followed the decline of good science in energy. But the demise of real medical care and medical ethics was Ron's greatest concern. Ron was known for his common sense and sound wisdom.

On his travels to England, his friend Jim would be drinking beer and find Ron engaged in some profound conversation with a chap across the pub! That was Ron. Steve, his friend in Arizona, had similar memories of him sitting on the back porch solving the world's problems, with the dog at his feet waiting for a treat.

Ron's intellect also gave him a brilliant, quick wit and delightful sense of humor. He was a natural comic. Every card and letter was sure to have a little hand drawn sketch. He made us laugh every day. He couldn't help himself.

Ron loved golf. He and his golfing buddies had such fun. Golfing together every Saturday seemed a chance to rib each other and laugh, rewarded by hanging out at the pub. (He always came home happy, exhausted and smelling like fajitas from Chilis.) "Ron had the greatest sense of direction I have ever seen. You could put him in a dark room and he could tell you which direction he was facing. Unfortunately, that talent did not always work on the golf course!" в?' Jim Moore

Of course, he and Jim also worked hard to become excellent golfers. Ron's memory of a lifetime was when they got to play the old course in Scotland. The "bunker" story is one Ron told often, and it always made him laugh. Ron also loved the James Herriot children's books. He made several trips to Thirsk, in Yorkshire England, where the books took place, and came to make life-long friends there. His pictures from Thirsk always sat on his desk.

His creative side shown over the years. He won the Editor's Choice Award by the International Library of Poetry for his writing on love's devotion, and a humorous piece on a lost and found shed key, published in Country Magazine and Reader's Digest.

With his practical, frugal nature, he could fix anything around the house, using the little bins and buckets of odds and ends he kept in his garage. He never threw away anything if it might be usefulв?¦.and it almost always was.

His fun imaginative style blossomed with woodworking. After retiring in the White Mountains of Arizona, his large work shop was his pride and joy. He made everything from a gorgeous solid oak kitchen table, ingeniously assembled from a salvaged antique table and a top glued together from oak step (steps were a fraction of the cost of boards); antique trim for the house; country-style porch railings; and even handcrafted a Victorian screen door. He carefully placed the springs to give that memorable sound when the back door slammed shut in the summertime.

In his later years, large scale building and renovation projects downsized to fun, inventive crafts personalized for each person he made them for. He loved making his little birdhouses, some were replicas of family homesteads, shops, churches and schools, and all held special meaning. He welcomed new babies into the family with their own little night light buildings. Each one was certain to have a cross and American flag.

Ron was loved by friends across the country and around the world. He died unexpectedly on January 30 from complications of a hard fought battle with cancer. He leaves behind his mother, Alice; wife, Sandy; sisters Sue and Mary; sons Ryan and Colin; and more cousins, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles than we can count.

As we celebrate a beautiful life well-lived, Ron's father seems to be reaching out to comfort all of us who loved his son and bring us peace. "Convincing evidences around us know that God does exist and he is in control."

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