When I heard about Ronnie passing away, I was completely taken aback, gutted even.
I'll never forget my first week on the job working at the Cochrane Times with Daniel Austin. Danny introduced me to Ronnie over at Tom's Hideout (Big Hill 2-for-1) and while we drank far too many cheap beers and decompressed from another insane deadline day, Danny told me that Ronnie was the guy to know in Cochrane.
That turned out to be a massive understatement.
Cochrane has maintained its small town vibe thanks in large part to the tireless volunteer and promotional efforts of Cochranites like Ronnie. When I left the Times and joined the Mighty Cochrane Eagle, Ronnie was the first person to congratulate me and told me he would have tons of awesome scoops to dish over in due time. He wasn't wrong.
That man promoted Cochrane anywhere and any way he could and we have all been benefactors of his tireless work. There's not much you can say when a friend like Ronnie Knowles passes away, but you can keep sharing your stories and keep smiling over the memories while you enjoy any of the amazing community functions Ron promoted.
Going to miss you Ronnie. To Sky and the rest of the family, I am so sorry for your loss.
- Ryan McLeod, former Cochrane Eagle photojournalist
