In Memoriam
a.k.a
The Mystic Traveler
April 19, 1946 – July/August 2020
Call Sign: WD8QAZ-9
Son of Clyde Berton Headley & Reva L. (Gamble) Headley of Shelton, Nebraska
Survived by his sister. Sandy Headley. of Alsea, Oregon
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Ronnie & Sandra Headley
Hall County District 32
Nebraska
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Updated September 9, 2021:
A virtual memorial service celebrating Ron’s life is announced for
Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 3 PM – 4 PM.
The service is open to the public and hosted by
Unity of Lexington and Ahava Center for Spiritual Living,
Click on the picture to open the preregistration page.
(Required to attend – Conference seating is limited.)
Ron is and was a man of many stories and interests ranging from the typical modern lifestyle to the speculative and fantastic, the latter being where most of us knew him. He led an intensely private and compartmentalized life sharing bits and pieces of his story with people he met along the way.
It is hoped that his friends will leave comments under this memorial to share what they feel is appropriate to further the completion of his memory.
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At Home for the Harvest in 2014
Following his graduation from high school and before enlisting in the U.S. Navy to become a corpsman, he had jobs in radio, an antenna manufacturing position, labor organizer, and college student.
Ron always considered himself more of a Marine than sailor. To underscore this, he said he never could keep the terms port and starboard straight. He completed a tour in Vietnam before separating from the service to return to civilian life – though he did continue to serve in other ways.
Ron settled in the area around Cleveland, Ohio, but first worked in Florida selling and installing dairy equipment. Ron graduated from Cleveland State University in 1972 and worked at the Cleveland Clinic, which he joined in 1970 as a Physician’s Assistant. Here, too, he contributed to improving labor conditions and the formation of a union. Then in 1978 he changed employment to work at Hillcrest Hospital, also in the Cleveland Area. Ron had hoped to earn a doctoral degree in psychology and he practiced as a professional hypnotist until life took him in another direction.
During the 1970’s Ron would travel with a small group of friends to follow-up on rumors and stories that varied from a trip to New Hampshire to visit with a new guy called Ram Dass who recently returned from India, investigating hauntings, the integrity of spiritualist churches, and watching technicians build large crystal structures in combination with laser beams. He attended community fairs and parties with two other friends giving psychic readings and using computers to forecast biorhythms or explain personality traits using the Luscher Color Test, which lead him to a stint on psychic fair circuits.
In the 1980’s he changed careers to work as an independent programmer and systems provider, all the while continuing his interests in the paranormal and other borderland areas of research. It was during this time that Ron moved to the city of Waynesville, North Carolina.
Eventually he was led to settle in Georgetown, Kentucky, where he worked at an electronic sales and service company as a technician installing and maintaining security and AV equipment until he formed his internet business, eTech & Stuff, developing WordPress websites and selling products through eBay and Amazon. Never one to shirk his spiritual and religious practices, Ron volunteered his services to broadcast and record church services first for the Ahava Center for Spiritual Living then for Unity of Lexington.
His inquisitive nature never left him. Hobbies included programming Lego Mindstorms robots, flying powered parachute ultralight aircraft, and bicycling. He was active in FEMA operations serving with Kentucky’s DMAT KY 1, the Scott County Volunteer Fire Department, an avid HAM Radio operator (WD8QAZ-9) and was active in HAM groups. All his life he would allow spirit to guide him to travel to interesting places and events to meet interesting people. Ron had the kind of mind that could remember people he casually met after a ten year gap and was always willing to extend a helping hand. In the last year of his life he became an FAA Certified Remote Pilot.
The Warren Light Center (WLC) and Shirley’s Heaven in the Woods, where the original members of the WLC and new friends meet to continue the inquiries begun at the WLC, were among his favorites.
The original warrenlightcenter.com website is his creation, a memory written on the Internet which celebrates its mission and his. With is passing, the work he began will continue here at the new site warrenlightcenter.org.
The Archivist
warrenlightcenter.org
Pictures from Ron’s Life
L-R Middle: Supporting the Patriot Guard Riders, Ron at work, Zuni Elder Clifford Mahooty
L-R Bottom: Home & Windmill in Winter, Ron & Ian with @TracyBeanz Marching in D.C., His X-Files Passion
Ian and one of his Housemates
Ron is the one in the apron and normally worked communications. The team was treating between 1,500 and 2,000 people a day back then. He never clarified whether he was wearing the apron to help in surgery, or if he was cooking that day.
Ron introduced himself to me via Facebook, when I dated his cousin. He decided we would be great friends, and loved to check in with me from time to time, and reach out to share his knowledge, insights, or helpful tips. He liked to connect on even the smallest shared interest, like Valentino’s Pizza, for instance. Once, Ron saw I was missing a beloved kitty friend, and reached out to friends he knew that did remote viewing to try to help me locate Tutti. Unfortunately, we didn’t find Tutti, but I was touched by Ron’s desire to help, even from several states away. Of course, we both knew that distance means nothing in the spirit world. Ron stopped to meet me in person once, and see our farm. If we’d have lived near each other, I’m certain we would have had many great conversations about metaphysics. It seems there was much more to him that I realized, reading all of the lovely things about his life in service and mystical adventures. I’m sorry we didn’t get the opportunity. Rest in Peace, Ron.
I’ve known & worked with Ron at our Sound Contracting business in Lexington since 1997. We shared many things together, including emergency services to the community, drone piloting and our ham radio hobby.
Ron, Cathy, Ian & I recently shared the passing of both of our company owners for that same sound communications company Ron & I worked for. He & I worked so many projects together for so many years. He helped me with my eCommerce website only just this summer. You kind of take folks for granted after working with them, having holiday dinners together, doing hobbies & ham meetings together, etc.
So much so I was literally shocked to hear of his passing a month after the fact. (COVID kept many of us apart.) It hurts to think Ron & Ian & Cat were alone that fateful day or night.
I think of all the great times riding in the work van as Ron smoked his pipe & we drove all around Kentucky to the differing construction projects together! A more intelligent & caring man I’ve not met than Ron.
Too many memories to share. RIP, my friend. You are missed.
I’ve spoken to Ron a few times online, but only met him in person once. He made a huge impact in my life, teaching me about WordPress and setting up sites. It seems he did that a lot. He gave of himself freely and so his memory will live on in all of his that he invested in.
RIP, friend.
We will miss Ron along with his stories and his interests. A really good guy and friend. Best wishes.
Doris and Rich Mehs
I know Ron from traveling cross country to the many Psychic and Spiritual events during the early eighties. I will miss talking with him and the knowledge he shared with all. You were truly a friend. See you on the other side my friend. I will miss you Jo Anna NY
I had to pleasure to enjoy many meetings through the amateur radio club or at luncheons, the last time I spent with Ron was at Blue Lick’s state park where he was sharing information about his properties out West. He had a passion for helping people and he has thought himself a wealth of knowledge about all technology to help people. He was a blessing in disguise. He will be missed in the amateur community, but I know he has made impacts in many other arenas and touched many lives. -Ron WX4GPS
Ron was a member of the Scott Co Amateur Radio Emergency Services club. He created a website for us from scratch. He really was a valuable source of information about all things tech. I surprised he didn’t have a podcast to discuss tech stuff. He will be missed.
73 is ham radio lingo it means best wishes.
Matt Makaveli KY4GPD-Georgetown KY
Club Secretary Scott Co Amateur Radio Emergency Services (SCARES)
I have know Ron for likely 30 years though our local radio club. He was always interested and willing to help. Right now, I believe the club’s repeater is still located in his garage *( an issue that needs quickly addressed )*
I remember 20 years ago just how excited Ron was to get the new modular installed. He asked me to help get the appliances, and then later the blocks from the old foundation off the site to clear space for the installation.
In 2007, when I did renovations, installing a new footer on my own house, I used those cap blocks that were salvaged. Part of Ron’s legacy will always be part of my home.
Some years later, we started talking about paranormal events. Since 2001, just about each month, there was activity where the previous owner “visited” the home. Nothing scary or bad in nature, just indications to let me and my wife know he was stopping by. For six or seven years, when we couldn’t find a tool, the running joke was “Oh, John’s using it, he will bring it back when he is done”. And sure enough, somewhere in a different room, or on the opposite side of a job site, what we were looking for would turn up.
Well, the by absolute accident, normal interactions with a woman at work who was a medium, relayed a story to me. The former owner told of a box. The box contained papers. The papers were of value, and he wanted me to have them. So, relaying this story later on to Ron, he wanted to help having experience in that area.
He comes down to the farm, and we sit down on the living room floor with a plat of the property. He takes a crystal with a long chain out of a bag, starts it spinning and passing it over the plat. At one point, the crystal stops wobbling on the chain. Ron asks, “What’s that”. “The deed calls that corner of the property “The Old Indian Corral””. He nodded his head a couple times “Yup, it’s right” “There are two buried just beyond it”. And then for just an instant, is typical jovial mode when completely serious “Don’t bother them”.
Unfortunately, we have never found John’s box. The last instructions were “It is down. It is under. It’s not under dirt, it is under boards”. With the storm damage to the house last August, we have completely stripped and renovated the dining room with new drywall and flooring. With the woodwork and customization that was done in the living room, it is likely here. One day, when the time is right, we will likely find it.
Ron was a good friend. Had the most lovable stories that were just captivating to listen to. He was probably the most creative and motivated person that I have known……improving his property, working with his radios, starting his business. Running around town on that scooter. And especially for the past five or six years, his involvement with animal rescue and transportation. He loved Ian beyond words, often posting photos and videos of him playing.
I was stunned when I heard of his passing, and then saddened when I learned of the details where he was at home alone. The feeling of not being able to say goodbye. He will be missed. He was a good friend and more than that, he was a good man.
Gary Glass
KD4VKJ
Sadieville, KY