Another one of the guys that was pretty special was Ron Speers. He live in the same building I did and I had a chance to hang with him for a while state side. I think his wife Linda is lurking in the background of this group and may be able to contribute a little about Ron. He was a fella who always seems to have a smile on his face and these were the days before smoking pot was in vogue. He was one of the studliest guys on Ramstein and hung with the prettiest lady I can remember, Linda Lewis Speers. We lost Ron in a freak motorcycle accident. Ron always treated me with respect and he could be as crazy as the next guy at a moments notice.

Dave Blakely

f there was a more likeable guy anywhere I never met him. Ronnie's smile was contagious. He was a natural athelete, a water-ski champion and an incredible friend to me. You can't remember Ron Speer without an image of Linda by his side; the two were inseparable and we guys were a bit jealous of that cause we loved Ronnie too and wanted to pal around with him. Linda lived in my building too, down in the first stairwell so Ronnie was often around to hang out with. We did some crazy things back then.

One time we got it in our heads to have a rock fight, chunking good size chunks of coal and rocks at each other, priding ourselves in our ability to dodge the incoming rocks and shake off those that hit us.. The dodging wasn't too hard as long as it was just the two of us, but when Tommy Bobbitt and Dennis James joined in you really had be on your toes or get clobbered. Ronnie had the best "arm" of any of us and we always quit before he did. Of course, he was a regular to visit up in "the tree house" and provided lumber for expansion whenever he could lay his hands on some wood that wasn't nailed down.

I can't swear to this memory, so Linda or anyone else who was there correct me on this, but I remember Ronnie having a drivers license and driving a Volkswagon beetle and stopping at this roadside German restaurant where we drank some beer and watched the swans swim in the lake, somewhere between Landstuhl and K-town. Carl may have been with us that day...it's a fond memory.

Ron really showed his friendship the week I decided to "runaway"; I didn't really run anywhere, just went over to his "maids room" for several days and hid. Ronnie fed me and kept me informed of the search for my whereabouts. He never told any grownups where I was. Eventually, Carl and him talked me into going home and I worked things out with my parents.

Ronnie and Linda are the only high school sweethearts I know that got married; that says a lot about their love for each other. It obviously was meant to be. Ronnie, we all miss you bud. We'll drink some beer and toast you in San Antonio this March..

Andy