Ronald Wayne Alley

Ronald Wayne Alley, 79, passed away peacefully on July 16, 2026, surrounded by his loving and devoted family after an extended illness with Alzheimer’s disease with Aphasia. He is now safely in the care of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ron was born on May 22, 1947, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was the eldest of four children born to Thomas Herman Alley, Jr. and Louise Morrison Alley. He was preceded in death by both parents and is survived by the love of his life and wife of 59 years, Donna Smith Alley. He is also survived by his daughter, Jennifer Blair Alley Allen (Robert); his granddaughter, Emma Worth Allen; his siblings, Teresa Benner (Frank), Timothy Alley (Brenda), and Thomas Alley (Kim); and numerous nieces and nephews. Throughout his illness and until his final moments on Earth, he was graciously and compassionately supported by caregivers and team members from Golden Harmony, Transitions LifeCare, and White Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Ron graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in 1965, where he was a successful, state-ranked tennis player and track-and-field athlete. Upon graduation he enlisted with the United States Navy Reserve and attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte until he was called to duty and served aboard the USS Vermillion during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged on March 29, 1971, and later attended North Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in 1972.

Ron’s impressive and wide-ranging career reflected his many interests, passions, entrepreneurial spirit, and extraordinary work ethic. He worked for Charles C. Ervin Construction Company, Southwest Forest Products, and Reynolds Aluminum Supply Company before founding and leading a series of successful companies of his own, including United Stainless and Alloys, Custom Metal Works, and Industrial Alloys.

When Ron and Donna rediscovered the South Carolina Lowcountry, specifically Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1995, his entrepreneurial spirit beautifully aligned with his love of nature, craftsmanship, and artistry. Together, they thoughtfully restored the Captain William Eider von Harten circa1898 house in Beaufort’s historic district. Ron directed and completed much of the work with his own hands.

Ron also earned his United States Coast Guard 100 Ton Master’s Offshore License. He began restoring "Kestrel", a classic sailboat, and later restored and captained "Josie N", a shrimp boat that provided countless memorable shrimp meals for his family. He later channeled his love of fishing into operating Alley’s Rod Shop, where he designed and fabricated one-of-a-kind custom inshore and offshore fishing rods. He earned a strong reputation in the Beaufort community for the quality and authenticity of his work and helped outfit many charter fishing boats across the region.

He was a true Renaissance man, enlightened and well-rounded across a wide variety of fields, combining intellectual curiosity with practical skills. In complement of his professional endeavors, he enjoyed many hobbies including fishing, travel, reading, financial investment strategy, billiards and NC State Wolfpack sports.

He enjoyed annual fishing trips to the Outer Banks on Portsmouth Island, where he earned numerous citations for record-setting catches. He loved all things Montana, especially Glacier National Park.

As a family we will always cherish the fun-filled adventures, laughter and traditions we shared while camping on Portsmouth Island, celebrating and honoring military service at the 60th Anniversary of D-Day, gathering with family at Hilton Head Island, SC, Oak Island, NC and Burnsville / Bad Creek, NC and attending Waterfront Park festivals in Beaufort, SC.

Ron was generous and passionate about community and was an active member of the North Carolina Freemasons, serving as Master of North Carolina Lodge #461 in Matthews, North Carolina. He was also a member of Shriners International, Scottish Rite, York Rite, Society of American Foresters, Cape Lookout Mobile Sportfishermen, North Carolina State University Wolfpack Club, and he volunteered on the City of Beaufort Tree Board.

No services are scheduled at this time.

In lieu of floral arrangements, the family requests that donations be made to the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford (https://mhc-oxford.org/).

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Alley family.