Ron Weston, one of our founding members, has passed away. Ron was an excellent metal artist, a magician in the machine shop, full of fun, enthusiasm, and creativity. He and his wonderful wife Trudy hosted the first two hammer-ins held by our local blacksmithing club.

Ron taught high school shop for many years, then served as a firefighter in Spokane for 14 years. He retired in 2013 to concentrate on family, hobbies, and adventure.

Ron's hobbies and adventures are legendary. His whimsical metal sculptures line a long path that winds through the landscape surrounding Ron and Trudy's house near Tyler, WA. He built an 18-foot tall fire-breathing dragon that awed visitors to the house. His bowling ball cannon could flatten a wall of logs a hundred yards away. He had a few moments as a zombie in the Z Nation series; but he enjoyed pointing out that a “ratmobile” he built got more screen time and a bigger paycheck than he did!

Ron loved flying. He died in a crash of his ultralight aircraft early Wednesday morning, June 6, 2018. He is survived by his wife Trudy, son Jesse, and daughter C’dra. We will miss Ron, and we will cherish the memories he has given us.