Ronald "Ron" Jay Wilkinson

On January 15, 2026, we lost our beloved father, brother, uncle, partner and friend suddenly and without warning. We are all mourning his loss. Today we celebrate his life and the impact he had on others and the world around him.

Ron loved his family, especially his three children and his dear Edie, who enriched the last chapter of his life beyond measure. He was our rock. He was outrageously funny, intensely curious, and wholly generous. Ron relished travel and adventure. Wherever he lived, his home was a haven for friends and family. His door was open and interesting activities were on offer in Seattle, Chicago, Liberia, Olympia, Helena, and New Jersey (where he worked in Times Square in New York City). Eventually, he moved back to Seattle to be near family and support his aging mother.

Ron was the firstborn of Edna Ardelle Utz Wilkinson and Edward McCoy Wilkinson. He grew up in Seattle, attended Queen Anne High School and the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, then joined the Peace Corps, where he served in Liberia, Africa from 1972 to 1974, teaching mathematics and later working as a staff engineer at the power plant in Monrovia. Later, Ron earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

In 1984 Ron married Jane Dresback. They had three children, Spencer, Eddie, and Corinne. Ron embraced parenthood with enthusiasm, exposing the little Wilkinsons to all manner of experiences--hikes, campouts, climbs, museums, music, theater, concerts, underground movies, and exotic foods. When adventure called, he answered, and brought his children along whenever he could. Corinne says he made them listen to different types of music because they "needed some funk" in their lives. Eddie describes Ron as "the best guy I ever met" and says that because of his dad he always had great places to visit, great food to eat, and interesting things to see and talk about.

As an engineer, Ron designed and managed innumerable diverse projects, including a medical oxygen system in Sierra Leone, a crop cooling project in Mozambique, high rise offices in New York, and Boeing facilities in Seattle. He was one of the first commissioning authorities for green buildings in New York City. Ron was instrumental in upgrading Seattle Steam which generates steam for over 175 businesses. If you drive by Western Avenue and Union St, you can see his work. Ron authored more than a hundred papers, articles, and conference presentations and traveled internationally to speak and lecture. His long career in Seattle, Helena, MT, and New York City included stints at Evergreen State College, State of Montana Architecture and Engineering, Dome-Tech Commissioning, and Glumac Engineers Commissioning Authority, among others. He volunteered for Engineers Without Borders in Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis in 2015.

Ron's passions and talents are legendary. He was an extraordinary writer, equally adept at technical papers on complex engineering subjects, entertaining and insightful movie reviews, and hilarious personal letters to family and friends. Ron could plant and tend a garden, build or fix anything he set his mind to, and cook a salmon to perfection. He biked, hiked, climbed, swam, and scuba dived. He summited Mount Rainier four times, once solo. Ron built E-bikes, studied German and Italian, and devoured magazines and books. He volunteered for Sharing Wheels on its bicycle repair team and with the Washington State University bike repair cafes. In exploring the world, Ron was especially

attracted to what he called "mysterioso" --- ghost towns, abandoned buildings, ruins, oddities, and peculiar roadside attractions. He embraced the novel, the weird, the unfamiliar. There was no food or drink he wouldn't try, no nook or cranny he wouldn't investigate.

Ron is survived by his children, Spencer Wilkinson, Eddie Wilkinson, and Corinne Moore (Cory); granddaughters Elaina and Freya; life partner Edie Rutledge; siblings Bonnie Johnson, Laurel Tindall (Dave), Betty Kresek (Tom), Rich Anderson (Hilda), and Rob Anderson (Lisa); aunt Clara Sias; uncle Gene Moon; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Eddie Wilkinson and Ardelle Wilkinson Anderson, stepfather Verne Anderson, and brother Mike Anderson.