Do you know our Associate Pastor Ron Smith? How about his lovely wife Kathy?  Do you really know them? Well, me neither…that is, until a couple of weeks ago when Phil and I sat down with them on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Our conversation was peppered with laughter and as we talked I thought that I couldn’t wait for you to get to know them better too.             

Ron and Kathy were both born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in that area. Ron’s parents were Joseph, who worked for 40 years for Good Year Tire and Rubber, and Lois Smith. She was a stay-at-home mom until Ron was 6 ½ years old when his parents divorced. Ron and his older brother were then raised by his father. Joseph remarried when Ron was 13 years old to a wonderful woman named Aida. She was Ron’s spiritual encourager. It was she who brought him to Hope Reformed Church where the pastor, Don Blackie, became Ron’s spiritual mentor. Aida lived to be 100 years old.  His father passed away at age 90. When Ron was in school he enjoyed playing any sport that Hope church offered: football, basketball, etc. He was also active in Christian Fellowship Club, photography, astronomy, and soap box derby. Ron attended Westmont College where Kenneth Monroe directed him into the ministry. He also attended Fuller Seminary and then Western Theological Seminary where he earned a double degree in Divinity and Theology. Over the years Ron’s careers have intermingled as he has held several positions at once; 35 years at Ontario Christian School, retiring in 1998, Director of Laurel Pines Christian Camp for 20 years, he has been an associate pastor at three different churches for a total of 41 years, working with youth and now with older adults. He has been at Bethany since 1976 teaching many interesting classes as well as visiting our shut-ins and senior members. His favorite Bible verse is Col. 1:10, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” I believe Ron’s life is a witness to this verse.

Cecil Lee, a cement contractor and inspector for LA County road department, and his wife Jessie, an admittance clerk at El Camino College, had four children.  Kathy was the third child with two older brothers and a younger sister. Although the children have spread out to other parts of the country Kathy’s parents live close-by in Hesperia. Her parents were encouragers; her mom encouraged her to get an education and her father encouraged her in the Baptist church. Growing up Kathy was a tom-boy and wanted to do whatever her brothers did but as she got older her interest in sewing was fueled by her mom and grandmother. She enjoyed the Glee club and choral groups, the kids programs at church and also playing the piano and organ. Kathy attended the University of Redlands. She was previously married and worked in Alaska as a secretary. She then worked for the telephone company in Apple Valley for many years and then taught at Apple Valley Christian School for 6 years and for the Victorville School District for 10 years, retiring in 2003. Kathy is an accomplished pianist and organist and played for the Apple Valley Baptist Church and she also played the bells for Apple Valley Presbyterian Church. Her “life” verse is Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Those of you who have attended Bethany for many years remember with fondness Ron’s first wife, Loretta. They were married for 37 years when Loretta died unexpectedly in 1994. They had one daughter, Rhonda, the mother of the world’s most beautiful, brilliant little girl. Rhonda, her husband Tom and Princess Rhian live in Washington, D.C.

Janna Ruisch, Roger Beukelman’s cousin and a mutual friend, arranged a blind date between Ron and Kathy six months later.  This was Kathy’s first blind date and she thought Ron was much too old for her and besides, he was wearing orange shorts! However, Ron was smitten! They dated for a week but Kathy had plans. She was moving to Denver, CO for a job. But God had other plans. Ron’s prayers were answered when the job fell through and Kathy returned to California. Ron contacted her and invited her out again and they went miniature golfing….with her parents and her brother. Ron was persistent and invited her to his house for Chicken Cacciatore (his specialty). That was the clincher and they started dating in earnest in September. By December they had their first kiss and in March, in the lobby of the Mission Inn, Ron proposed.  She said, “Yes!” and they rode off into the sunset in a horse drawn carriage. They were married on July 1, 1995. 

Ron and Kathy keep very busy with Square Dancing two or three times a week. An interesting aside is that since the Square Dance is the American Folk Dance the calls are in English all over the world.  They also enjoy camping with a monthly Camping Club. This summer they will venture out on their own for the first time to go to Wichita, Kansas for a Square Dance convention. Both of them also study genealogy and have traced their roots quite far back. Traveling is one of their favorite things to do and they have seen a great deal of this world: Sweden, Canada, Italy and all over the USA. They would like to go to Jerusalem, Australia, and Stockholm while they can still move on their own. When they are less mobile they want to take the train trip that goes into five different National Parks. As a quilter, and I know there are several others at Bethany, I am very impressed that Kathy is a “quilter extraordinaire”! She is also a national judge of quilts and appraiser. This keeps her on the move too as she travels in and out of state to judge the national competitions.

Kathy believes being involved in the church keeps us grounded and let’s us know we’re all human and that’s OK; we all have our trials but the church keeps us on track. Ron thinks that we should never stop growing and learning the scriptures. He says to focus our lives around the church and be actively involved in it. They both wish that they lived closer so they could be more engaged at Bethany but it isn’t feasible at this time with Kathy’s parents needing her close by. 

Ron and Kathy, you are a vital part of the Bethany family and we’re so glad you’re willing to come all the way from Apple Valley to worship with us.