Ronald P. “Ron” Webb

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

“Ron” Webb, 63 of 10142 County Rd #16, Swain, NY enjoyed that kind of life journey making his final ride following a long illness early Saturday morning (January 9, 2016), holding his loving wife’s hand and with his beloved, lab “Fergie” watching over him.

Born in Niagara Fall, NY on December 31, 1952, he was the son of Harold & Janet (Hartman) Webb.

Ron grew up in Niagara Falls (Town of Wheatfield) and was a graduate of Niagara-Wheatfield High School (Class of 1972).  He has resided in the Swain area (Town of Grove) for the past 30 years.

He had been employed as a millwright & welder at National Grinding Wheel in North Tonawanda for about 15 years until its closure.  After relocating to Swain and for the next 25 years, Ron worked in the maintenance department at Elf Atochem, which later became Arkema Inc, an industrial chemical plant located in Piffard, NY. Ron took pride being selected a member of the Arkema team, building a “Habitat for Humanity” home for a family in Louisiana. He “retired” about 8 years ago.

Following his “retirement”, Ron began working in the Building & Grounds department of Hornell High School and later served as a bus driver for the Hornell School System.  As a bus driver, he would often drive the athletic teams to various sporting events and quickly became an avid Hornell High School Sports Fan.  He finally retired in April, 2014 due to ill health.

Ron was an avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle enthusiast who enjoyed touring and attending bike rallies throughout the Northeast and Florida with friends and family.  When his health declined he was able to continue his desire to ride with the purchase of a 3-wheeled trike, his Harley “Tri-Glide Ultra”.  He was a member of the Arkport HOG Chapter.

He was an avid outdoorsman & sportsman who thoroughly enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. He not only hunted with conventional rifles & shotguns, but also enjoyed “black powder” rifle and bow-hunting.  He loved hunting big game; deer, caribou and big-horn sheep, and also game-birds such as duck, turkey & partridge.  His fishing adventures included fishing on the Niagara & St Lawrence Rivers, Lake Erie, the Pacific Ocean and reef fishing off the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica. Throughout the years, Ron not only fished fresh water for walleye, trout and bass, he also enjoyed deep sea fishing for tuna, dorado, marlin and roosterfish. Memorable camping trips were made along the St Lawrence River, the Adirondacks, Maine and Nova Scotia.

Not being a “resort-type” vacationer, Ron’s travel excursions included: trekking Mayan ruins throughout Central America, snorkeling with sharks & sting rays on the barrier reef off Belize & Mexico, seeking the perfect glass of Guinness in Ireland & Rum in Jamaica, white water rafting class V’s on the Gauley in West Virginia and always making new friends to laugh and party with at Mardi Gras and Daytona Bike Weeks.
Ron was an avid Buffalo Bills Football fan (the good, the bad and all the “rebuilding” years) and also loved rooting for the Buffalo Sabers and Syracuse Orangemen.  In his high school years, he was an aggressive football, lacrosse and ice hockey player.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold Webb and also his granddaughter, Grace Fraiser.

Ron was married on September 9, 1989 to the former Peggy Gelser who survives.  Also surviving are his children from a previous marriage; 1 son, Paul (Brian) Webb-Welch of Atlanta, GA; 1 daughter, Cari (Jason) Fraiser of North Tonawanda; his mother, Janet Webb of Niagara Falls; 1 brother, Dennis (Jackie) Webb of St. Petersburg, FL; 3 grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, aunts & uncles.

The family of Ronald P “Ron” Webb will receive friends on Saturday from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY.  A “Celebration of Ron’s Life” will be held on Sunday from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM at the Sierra Inn, Swain, NY, where family & friends are invited to share memories and stories of Ron’s Life.

Ron’s family request that in lieu of flowers, you perform an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness.