We have lost a very dear friend

Ron C · Post by **Ron C** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:23 am

As previously noted, it is with a very very heavy heart that I must report the passing of a very dear friend of mine and, undoubtedly, a friend of many of you as well.

Ron Smith died suddenly Sunday evening of an apparent heart attack at the very young age of 47.

Ron was one of the original members of my WON BASS Southern California Region tournament staff, a position which he held for several years. Ron was an accomplished team tournament angler in Southern California and a frequent fixture atop the leader board. Over the years, Ron fished with team partners Scott Hanson, Doug Frasco, and more recently with his brother Don.

Ron and Don won the 2007 J&T Tackle Night Team Tournament Series Heavyweight Award with a remarkable combined four-tournament (twenty-fish) total weight of 102.57 pounds, which is a per fish average weight of 5.12 pounds. More recently, Ron and Don also won the 2009 Anglers Choice Lake Casitas Night trail Anglers of the Year title.

Ron Smith (on the right) is seen here with his brother Don after winning the 2007 J&T Tackle Night Team Tournament Series Heavyweight Award.

It is always so very painful to lose someone at such a young age, but Ron accomplished a great deal in his short 47 years. Without question, his greatest accomplishment and his greatest pleasure was raising his two beautiful daughters.

Ron will be sadly missed and I asked that you please keep Ron and his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

God Bless You, my friend.

Ron Cervenka

ROBTOMLIN · Post by **ROBTOMLIN** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:50 am

Ron, Thanks for the picture. We all loved Ron he was a great person. Prayers go out to his wife and girls.

DPetty · Post by **DPetty** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:57 am

May the Lord rest his soul and comfort his family.

Bill Siemantel · Post by **Bill Siemantel** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:11 pm

Ron C,

Can you shoot me over an email @ bigbasszone@sbcglobal.net.

Ron Smith's passion for the sport of bass fishing is what it should be all about and spending time with him as our daughters played soccer together showed me his love for his wife and girls did not play second fiddle to fishing.

I am putting some money together for his wife and girls and I am also going to raffle off a bunch of stuff. Need some help to get the word out and you may just be the right guy.

Thanks

Bill Siemantel

snapitoff2002 · Post by **snapitoff2002** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:44 pm

That's pretty awesome of you Bill. He looks way too young to go that soon.

brian evans · Post by **brian evans** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:25 pm

ron was truely one of the nicest guys i have ever met in the sport of tournament fishing. i looked foward to seeing him and talking to him at every event we fished together. he was always so easy to approach and talk to. ron was an amazing fisherman and dominated his last couple circuits. i will truley miss looking over at him to give each other thumbs up before we launched. my heart goes out to his family and friends. he will be missed