Letter to grampa

After watching the movie Letters To God Ashley decided to write a letter to grandpa Ron. This is what she wrote....

     Dear Grampa,


I really miss you, well everyone does. How is it up there? I hope its better for you than it was down here. I cry  almost every night. I have learned to hold it in, but last night I couldn't. I cried about the sound you would make when I would squeeze and give you a hug. Its the little things like that take me back and make me cry. It takes a chunk of my heart each time. When you died I lost half of my heart : ( I LOVE YOU LOTS! 

Love,
Your favorite granddaughter Ash


After reading this letter I gave Ash a hug. She was squeezing tighter than normal so I did my best grampa noise. We laughed! She told me its not the same but thanks for trying. It was worth it just to see her smile and hear her laugh. I know that Ron"s hugs were one of a kind. She will never forget the noise he would make but the way it felt too. Ash will tie the letter to a balloon and give it a squeeze before letting it go.

memorial 2011 July-Smith River camping, will post more pictures

poem, Sheila to Ron, July 2011

you said goodbye, I said, I don't want you to go
and
you said, I Know,
I love my family, I have good friends and I love you so,
I would stay if I could.
so life on this plane comes to an end,
 I will be "here" to see you all again

Mt Lowe Memorial

      This is where the can is placed on Mt. Lowe.  This is where we spread some of Ron's ashes.

    Sheila read us what she had wrote on the picture of the old lookout about Ron and her visit to the can last summer .

                      Jason and Randy spreading some of Ron's ashes on Mt. Lowe.

    All of us on Mt Lowe.. except the photographer, Miss Ashley.

love, me

Ron always left me notes here and there and always signed them love, me. In 2006 when he left to go hunting with the boys and my sister Linda and I moved the rv thru three states, he left me another note. It said missing you already, love me, xoxoxo. I found that note Saturday September 25th as I was going thru things in his drawer. It took me back to the song played at my mothers memorial. Love Me, by Colin Raye. Here are the lyrics:
I read a note my grandma wrote back in nineteen twenty-three.
Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me. He said,
"Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,
Grandma`s daddy didn`t like me none, but I loved your Grandma so."

We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together.
Get married in the first town we came to, and live forever.
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet, instead of her
I found this letter, and this is what it said:

If you get there before I do, don`t give up on me.
I`ll meet you when my chores are through;
I don`t know how long I`ll be.
But I`m not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I`ll be loving you. Love, me.

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away,
In the doorway of a church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray.
I know I`d never seen him cry in all my fifteen years;
But as he said these words to her, his eyes filled up with tears.

If you get there before I do, don`t give up on me.
I`ll meet you when my chores are through;
I don`t know how long I`ll be.
But I`m not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I`ll be loving you. Love, me.
Between now and then, till I see you again,
I`ll be loving you. Love, me.
-------------, Sheila

Laid to rest

It was a great day in the mountains, we scattered Dad's ashes today up top of Mt. Lowe. It was clear enough on the hike up and for a bit when we reached the summit to see quite a ways. The fog engulfed us during our ceremony almost as if the mountains themselves were giving us a hug and welcoming my father to his eternal resting place. We fired off 20 rounds to let the mountains know that Dad was there and passed two cans of Busch Light around to share. Then it began to rain. We didn't mind, we hiked down and hung around visiting with friends and family. We buried a folders coffee can and filled it with pictures messages and mementos of Dad. If anyone ever wants to go up, we can give easy directions to the trail, and tell you where the memorial can is buried. With us today were: Sheila, Randy, Jason, Becky, Trudy, Ashley and Hunter Ping, Kenny Pickner, Cameron Frable, Travis Little, Steve and Julie Fagan as well as their grandson Noah, Darrin and Brendon McAra and Robert Hall. The remainder of Dad's ashes are being held and part will be scattered down at Weatherly Creek next 4th of July, and the rest will wait until Mom has passed and we will mix them together and scatter them around the tree at the Oxford Family Ranch where Everette and Lydia (Sheila's Parents) are. Again, we appreciate all of the calls, cards, flowers, messages, and comments on this blog.  We will post pictures of today soon.           Jason

Ron Ping's life

Ron Ping Obituary.

Ron Ping was born 12/30/1944 to Evelyn and Roy Ping in St. Joseph, Missouri. He moved to Oregon with his family at the age of 18 in 1962. In 1973 he met his future wife Sheila. Moving to the Portland area in 1976 he owned and operated Ron Ping's Oasis Tavern in Forest Grove. Deciding to start a family, he and Sheila sold the tavern and bought a house in Eagle Creek in 1977. Randy was born in 1978 and his favorite son Jason came along two years later in 1980. (Keep in mind that Jason is typing this)

Ron moved his family to Boring in 1985. He found a nice chunk of land with a few acres, a couple barns and an inground pool and hot tub. He ended up with some great neighbors that grew to become very close friends. Selling the house in 2003 after raising his boys he retired in 2005 from Tri-Met.

After traveling through Europe for seven weeks he returned to begin a new journey in his 40 ft. RV accompanied by his wife and sister in law Linda. They spent two years traveling across the United States and Canada. Returning to Oregon in July of 2007 they spent their time with family and friends working part time preparing for their next adventure. Since his diagnosis with Cancer in May of 2010 he was able to spend precious time with his family, friends, and most important to him, his wife of 36 years.

He felt fortunate that he was able to say his goodbyes to those closest to him. He expressed that he felt fortunate to have lived such a full life.

He will be missed by many. He is survived by his wife, Sheila, sons Randy and Jason, Brother Glen, and sisters Patty, Cathy and Teri. Also dear to him were his two daughter in laws Becky and Trudy and his grand children, Ashley and Hunter.

If you have any comments, stories, or messages for Ron, you are encouraged to honor his family with your comments on this blog.

Ron- if the shoe fits!! April, 2010