Ron's the guy who recruited me into the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at KU. It was a shock, and I wish I could go back in time and knock some sense into him.
I remember Ron from our days in boy scouts. We had a number of camping trips together. His father was a big part of the trips. I believe Ron played bass guitar and had a real love for music.
His family lived around the corner from us. May he rest in peace
Ron Brown was one of my best friends in high school. We were in band together. He played french horn, but his passion was the Rickenbacker 4001 electric bass he owned. I was getting into guitar and bass at the same time, so we formed a good friendship. It didn't matter that either one could play worth a damn. Besides band, we hung out together, went to concerts (Yes at Kemper 1978, Styx 1978, maybe others). Ron drove a yellow Triumph Spitfire. At the time I didn't own a car so I cruised a lot with him in that car. Sometimes we would go to the backside of Valentino's Pizza on a Friday or Saturday night to get a free pizza or pitcher courtesy of some errant employees (Thanks, Jeff!) Ron never drank, so that left more beer for the rest of us.
We hung out after graduation, until Ron went to KU and joined the Pikes. He was really excited about this, and it was an important part of his life. The last time I spoke to him he told me he was engaged to be married. After that we lost touch. I learned about his death when I came home from Texas to visit my parents. It is still hard for me to believe. I know that all of us who knew Ron liked him. He was a very considerate person, and is still missed.
Reading this memory, its hard for me to believe it was really 30 years ago, its like it was just a couple weeks ago and I can still see Ron grinning from ear to ear as I handed him a pizza that barely fit into that little Yellow Spit.
I lived next door to Ron, and of course, was always around the Pike house at KU because of Tom Bittman. When we were kids, he was always at my house or in the neighborhood playing Blind Man's Bluff or basketball with all of us. In high school, Ron's band played Smoke on the Water all the time at his house. The neighbors hated it, but my mom and I loved it. Our weddings were two weeks apart a year after college. For all these reasons, his and Ramona's deaths hit Tom and I very hard. We were living in Minnesota at the time, and could not come back for the funerals. I wish we could have, it would have helped with closure. Every time we have a milestone in our little family, I think of Ron and Ramona. They have missed so much. I pray they are both at peace.
Randy Dalton
I have lots of fond memories of being in Boys Scouts with Ron. His father was one of our scout leaders as wellThomas Bittman
Ron's the guy who recruited me into the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at KU. It was a shock, and I wish I could go back in time and knock some sense into him.Keith Jack
I remember Ron from our days in boy scouts. We had a number of camping trips together. His father was a big part of the trips. I believe Ron played bass guitar and had a real love for music.His family lived around the corner from us. May he rest in peace
Andrew Hite
Ron Brown was one of my best friends in high school. We were in band together. He played french horn, but his passion was the Rickenbacker 4001 electric bass he owned. I was getting into guitar and bass at the same time, so we formed a good friendship. It didn't matter that either one could play worth a damn. Besides band, we hung out together, went to concerts (Yes at Kemper 1978, Styx 1978, maybe others). Ron drove a yellow Triumph Spitfire. At the time I didn't own a car so I cruised a lot with him in that car. Sometimes we would go to the backside of Valentino's Pizza on a Friday or Saturday night to get a free pizza or pitcher courtesy of some errant employees (Thanks, Jeff!) Ron never drank, so that left more beer for the rest of us.We hung out after graduation, until Ron went to KU and joined the Pikes. He was really excited about this, and it was an important part of his life. The last time I spoke to him he told me he was engaged to be married. After that we lost touch. I learned about his death when I came home from Texas to visit my parents. It is still hard for me to believe. I know that all of us who knew Ron liked him. He was a very considerate person, and is still missed.
Jeff Murphy
Reading this memory, its hard for me to believe it was really 30 years ago, its like it was just a couple weeks ago and I can still see Ron grinning from ear to ear as I handed him a pizza that barely fit into that little Yellow Spit.You are in my thoughts. JEFF
Lillian Davis (Bittman)
I lived next door to Ron, and of course, was always around the Pike house at KU because of Tom Bittman. When we were kids, he was always at my house or in the neighborhood playing Blind Man's Bluff or basketball with all of us. In high school, Ron's band played Smoke on the Water all the time at his house. The neighbors hated it, but my mom and I loved it. Our weddings were two weeks apart a year after college. For all these reasons, his and Ramona's deaths hit Tom and I very hard. We were living in Minnesota at the time, and could not come back for the funerals. I wish we could have, it would have helped with closure. Every time we have a milestone in our little family, I think of Ron and Ramona. They have missed so much. I pray they are both at peace.