It was obvious that this man had gained the respect and love of those around him.  Walking through the offices for the first time, it was even more true that the same care, compassion and respect that categorized Ron Russell as the man he was, lived within the people in his office.

It is true that one’s respect can also be felt in the presence of others.

As I walked into his office, I was greeted by a man that instantly put a smile in my heart, It had nothing to do with what he said or did but more so that his presence had an aura of truth.

Ron shook my hand like we were old friends, we looked each other in the eye and at that point in time it was evident that I was never going to get anything less than the truth from this man.

He reminded me of how precious it is to wear your true heart on your sleeve.

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To not only say what you believe in but to live it. To not only share your success but also your struggles, as those are lessons that others can grow from.
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I truly enjoyed our frequent coffees we had as I would sit back and listen to his life journey.  He never shared his journey to gloat about his success and struggles. He always took the time to share with the main purpose to teach us to be better than we are today, to grow and to believe that every struggle we face at this moment will pass and will make us into stronger and empathetic people.

Ron Russell took the time to take care of not only his close friends, but also the community he lived in that became part of his family.
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He asked me the first time we met, “Fred what do you find as one of your struggles just moving into the Okanagan.” I replied, “I miss my niece and nephew as they are further away from me.  It felt like I was distanced from my family.” – That is when he looked me straight in the eye and said, “welcome to your new extended family – you will always have a home here.”

I truly will miss those frequent coffee conversations I had the pleasure of experiencing and growing from.

All those that had the pleasure of knowing Ron Russell know exactly what I mean when I say; there are only a handful of people who come into your world, and touch your life in a dramatic fashion the instant you shake hands for the first time.

Ron, you will be missed but never forgotten.