CHARLES RONALD ""RON"" WATMOUGH, beloved husband of Ethel Fay (Dunk) Watmough, passed away peacefully and quietly at home in his sleep on Tuesday, October 28, 2008.

Ron was born on August 4, 1927 in a farm home in West Lethbridge, the last child and third son of Charles A. and Mary (Burrill) Watmough. He was predeceased by his parents, all three siblings; Lloyd, Herbert and Betty, and a granddaughter Santanna Brelle Watmough.

Besides his wife Ethel, Ron is survived by their children Lorna Musick (Butch) of Claresholm, Linda (Don) Lacey of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Larry (Bernice) Watmough of Lethbirdge, and Lee (Dana) Watmough of Calgary; 13 grandchildren; Erin Musick (Nathan) of Lethbridge, Shawn Musick of Coaldale; Taryn (D'Arcy) Rodzinyak and Kelsey Woods of Lethbridge; Jessy, Jeffery, Kody and Kevin Watmough of Lethbridge; Joslin, Joshua and Jason Webster of Calgary, Lethbridge and Penticton, BC; and Benjamin Watmough of Calgary. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren Christopher and Hayley Ashford, Adria Webster, and Alyssa Rodzinyak, and his mother-in-law Alice Dunk of Blue Sky Lodge.

Ron attended Plain Butte and Shaughnessy elementary schools, and Diamond City High School. He then worked in the Shaughnessy coal mine a few years, then mainly in sales of auto parts and tires, and in advertising sales and as sales manager with radio and television stations CJOC Lethbridge, CKSA Lloydminster, Alberta and CFAX Victoria, BC, before settling into a career in news journalism in radio, television and newspapers. His news reporting and editing career included CJOC Radio and CJLH Television in Lethbridge, the Lethbridge Herald, and the Penticton Herald. In more than 20 years with the Lethbridge Herald Ron held several editorial posts including agriculture, lifestyles, business and city editor - as well as writing a weekly column, and special editorial-page features.

In the early 1940s Ron was a fastball pitcher for the Shaughnessy Cadillacs, but was sidelined by illness prior to the team being Alberta Provincial Champions and Western Canada finalist in 1948. He also pitched for the Blenner-Hassett and Smith Dodgers of Lethbridge when they won the Western Canadian Junior Fastball championship in 1946. He played hockey too - a defenseman for the Shaughnessy Cadillacs intermediate team.

In retirement Ron devoted a total of 44 years of volunteer service with not-for-profit organizations - including 17 years of the local and provincial boards of the Canadian Mental Health Association. He completed ten years of fund-raising and board work at the Lethbridge and District Humane Society, and was founding president of both the Galt #8 Mine Historic Site Society, and No Kill Alliance (NOKA). Ron was a long-time member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and a past president of the Lethbridge (federal) Liberal Association. He also served several years on the board of the Lethbridge West Constituency Association of the Liberal Party of Alberta.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00PM on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at MARTIN BROS. RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610 - 4 Street South, Lethbridge. A Private Family interment will be held at Warner Cemetery prior to the Memorial Service.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate to the Lethbridge Region of the Canadian Mental Health Association, 426 - 6 Street South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 2C9; the Lethbridge and District Humane Society Box 783 Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z6; or to the No Kill Alliance, 11 Wildwood Rd West, Lethbridge, AB T1K 6C2.