Ron Logan died this week in a drowning accident.
He is remembered by many as a dedicated public and private servant. He was a Viet Nam veteran who came home and served on the Lexington Fire Department for 30 years.
Additionally he took on many volunteer roles in the community.
Rob Larkin, Lexington Emergency Management Director, said, "What we're talking about is a man that was a great public servant, great American, great family man, and a good patriot,"
While I have no doubt all those things are true, they are not why I remember Ron.
Many years ago when I was having allergy problems, we decided to get rid of all the carpet in the house.
Part of what turned into a full remodel included putting new steps in between the two floors.
A fire fighter named Ron Logan was also a carpenter. He took on the project on his days off from the fire department.
Right away we sensed something different in Ron. He was meticulous, mapping out every move before doing anything.
He held each piece of wood as if it was sacred. He seemed to recognize he was holding something that had once been a tree that grew under the watchful Eye of its Creator.
Ron was quiet as he worked. When I tried to engage him in conversation early on, it felt like I was interrupting his time of meditation. I backed away and simply watched.
He was every bit as meticulous and reverent in every aspect of the job from sanding and staining to nailing the steps in place.
Eventually he did open up to me. He said he loved his job as a fire fighter, but it was often high stress and noisy. He said he enjoyed the quiet of doing carpentry work on the side. It was more predictable, controlled and quiet (except when people like me kept trying to talk to him).
He said he also enjoyed seeing something tangible for his efforts. He said in his regular job, he got to help people, but often did not see them again to enjoy the results of his work.
I loved the days Ron came to our house. It was a spiritual experience for me. I wondered if I was being given a little peek into what it would have been like to watch Jesus handling wood as a carpenter.
The steps turned out beautifully. We tried to pay Ron extra to what he said he would charge. He refused, saying the time had been a privilege for him.
He took one final look and said he liked contributing to things that would last a long time.
We all agreed we would get together again, but sadly we never did. However, we have spoken of him with fondness many times.
We were shocked and saddened to hear on the news that he died in an accidental drowning yesterday.
Tonight when I climb the stairs, I will let my hands linger a little longer on the wood. I will remember the time Ron touched it with reverence.
He wanted to create something that would last. He did. The steps still stand and the memories are precious.
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