Ron's accidental death is a terrible tragedy that we will remember for a long time and I sincerely hope his spouse Billi will pull through her injuries without lasting pain.
I met Ron through some good friends of ours, the Logan's, some twenty five years ago, Bob being a hunting buddy of Ron. My connection with Ron was not through hunting nor was it the oil patch, where Ron was an active player in the drill bit restoration business. Our common interest was that of the restoration of antique vehicles and which we all know Ron had a massive collection of all kinds of conveyances - too many to count. Ron was an active member of our club (and of course as he was of many other clubs) so we saw him participating in Model A tours and events.
I acquired the hobby of car restorations at an early age and it stayed in my blood so I took a keen interest in Ron's vehicles. He was a very meticulous restorer who never took shortcuts. He once showed me how he vetted someone's work by the very simple action of running his fingers under fender beads to see if they had indeed properly restored fenders. He had the patience to wait a very long time for rare pieces to show up. He chased down auto meets and auctions everywhere around the globe. His business took him internationally and he took the advantage to pursue parts and even whole cars and trucks from numerous countries from which he had shipped to his shop for the process of dismantling and painstakingly restoring.
I was given the opportunity this past winter to be a docent at the Heritage Park Gasoline Alley Museum where Ron's wonderful machines are in full display. It was an honour to speak to visitors from literally around the world and talk about Ron's achievements. Many were impressed beyond belief as to how a piece of junky metal was transformed through the dedication of this man and the legacy he left behind.
Ron had many friends from all over the world and I find myself lucky to have known him. We, I, will miss Ron very much. He was an inspiration to us all.
Anne Marie and I offer our deepest sympathies to Billi and the family.
Yvon Picot
Ron’s business continuum, his devotion to the restoration and collection hobby, and his philanthropic mindset as demonstrated by his Gasoline Alley and Pioneer Acres contributions plus the gas pump located in our Clubhouse made him an outstanding Albertan and Club Member. You may recall his having participated in one of our tours utilizing his old Rolls Royce and like Yvon I had also been involved with him for a variety of reasons over the years.
Ron Rigby
