2 Fall 2021 Applegater
■ BETTY AND
OBITUARIES
The Reverend Ronald 'Ron' McKay
August 8, 1954 – July 22, 2021
Ron McKay, pastor, teacher, chaplain,
soldier, firefighter, woodworker, choir
director, multi-instrumentalist, storyteller,
basketball junkie—never afraid to
go for the high note, always bringing
the fun—the new best friend you
didn’t know you needed, generous and
d e d i c a t e d h u s b a n d , f a t h e r, a n d
grandfather, died on Thursday, July 22, at
the age of 66.
Ron pastored Ruch Community
Bible church for 40 years, volunteered as
chaplain and firefighter in the Applegate
Valley for 30, and served in the Army
National Guard for 20, rising in the
ranks from first lieutenant to colonel and
finally serving as Oregon state chaplain.
He served with Multinational Forces and
Observers in Egypt for nine months, was
on active duty in Iraq for one year, and
again on active duty in Louisiana for one
month in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
He viewed firefighting and military service
as extensions of his ministry and relished
the unique challenges and adventures
they involved.
“Ron was truly a man of God, someone
who really personified the Golden Rule,”
said Paul Tipton. “And he was also very
much a community builder, involved with
people, activities, and organizations in the
Applegate Valley as a strong and positive
force. He was a firefighter and emergency
responder and also the chaplain to go to
after a particularly traumatic call. I just
want to recognize him as someone who
‘walked his talk’ and lived his life to make
the Applegate Valley the special place it is
for us all.”
Ron is survived by his wife, Martha,
to whom he was married for 44 years;
his sons, Dan, John, and Mark; his
daughter-in-law, Crystal; and his grandsons
Simon, who just learned to ride Grandpa’s
Honda 90, Mark, who fills his family’s
homes with art, and Than, who brings
joy to everyone he meets. Ron will be
so missed.
A memorial service was held at Ruch
Community Bible Church on August 7.
Walter Eugene Schmidt III
November 6, 1929 – August 27, 2020
Walter Schmidt, beloved husband of
Joyce Schmidt for 71 years, died August
27, 2020, at the fine old age of 90.
He is survived by his wife, six children,
17 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren,
and two great-great-grandchildren.
His family wishes to invite the
community to “Walt’s Remembrance”
at noon Sunday, September 26, 2021, at
3654 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville.
Please bring your Walt stories and a
potluck dish or hors d’oeuvre.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations
to either Friends of Ruch Library,
7919 Highway 238, Jacksonville, OR
97530 or the Applegater, PO Box 14,
Jacksonville, OR 97530.
See you there. Casual dress.
William ‘Willie’ Wayne Warwick
February 22, 1956 – June 21, 2021
Willie (William Wayne) Warwick, 65,
passed away June 21 at his Williams home,
after a brief bout of cancer.
Willie was a longtime Williams
resident and graduate of Grants Pass
High School. Through his company, Good
Sound Construction, Willie built beautiful
custom homes for families throughout the
region and also provided remodels, decks,
and furniture for clients.
Best known, however, for his world-
class fiddle playing, Willie entertained
Josephine County residents with his
band, Willie and the Poor Boys, often
playing for the dining crowd on the deck
at Galice Resort.
He and his high school buddies, the
Hurrman Burrman band, reunited each
year for a popular bash at Plaisance Winery.
Willie is survived by his son, Travis
Warwick, and granddaughter, Scarlett
BARNEY SMITH
Continued from page 1
The Academy, the second
winery in the Applegate (after
Valley View), was established by
Barney and Betty in 1995 and
bonded in 1996. The Smiths
did their own vineyard work on
3,000 vines of cabernet, pinot,
chardonnay, and merlot grapes,
which produced 12-13 tons of
grapes annually and from which
Barney and Betty made 300-400
A plaque honors Barney Smith for founding the
cases of estate wine annually. The
Applegate Valley Appellation.
pinot noir grapes were Betty’s
“babies.” “She wouldn’t let anyone
else touch them,” says their daughter,
Eileen Smith. That tender loving care paid
off when The Academy’s 1997 pinot noir
won a gold medal at an American Wine
Society competition.
Barney was the wine maker and Betty
the vineyard manager. They both enjoyed
pouring wine for guests in the wine-tasting
room. Barney, a retired professor, loved
instructing people about wine making
and telling tales. Betty, even when she
was using a walker to get around, enjoyed
being with the friends, tourists, and
travelers who came to taste the wines.
Two specialty wines at The Academy
were the Emeritus (Barney was a professor
emeritus) and Applegate Gold, named,
Barney said, because “there’s gold in
them thar vineyards.” As for the name of
the winery, Barney, who was a graduate
Bottles with The Academy label
of Stanford, said, “If a university can
were highly prized.
call itself a farm [Stanford’s nickname],
then a vineyard and winery can call itself
an academy.”
Fenton, Michigan, and attended classes
Applegate vintners esteemed Barney’s in enology at the University of California,
position in the community. Herb Quady, Davis. Then he and Betty moved to the
of Quady North, says, “Though he had Applegate, where they discovered the
started to retire by the time I arrived special nature of the Applegate as a wine-
in 2003, his impact on the wine community growing region and the community of
was evident to me, and his wines vintners, enologists, viticulturists, and
were found on the lists of our region’s sophisticated wine lovers of the Applegate.
best restaurants.”
The Academy is now run by one of the
Before starting his career as a vigneron Smiths’ two daughters, Eileen Smith, who
(a grower of wine grapes) and a vintner (a is looking forward to help from her sister,
maker of wines), Barney taught the MBA Carolyn Smith, as soon as Carolyn is able
program at the University of Michigan. to move to the Applegate.
In preparation for his new career, he
Diana Coogle
apprenticed at Seven Lakes Vineyard, in
diana@applegater.org
■ DRAGONFLY PLACE
Continued from page 1
time and donations. The Four Way
Community Foundation has kicked off
the fundraising with a $5,000 grant.
The committee estimates 18 months to
complete this project.
You can help support the building of
Dragonfly Place by joining the APWC at
a fundraising celebration on the Autumn
Equinox, September 22, at Red Lily
Vineyard. We will present a spin on our
annual outdoor film festival by bringing
in Alice DiMicele, an outstanding singer-
songwriter and long-time ally of Agnes
Baker Pilgrim, and showing some short
video clips featuring Grandmother Aggie.
This community event is open to all and
serves as a fundraiser for the work of
our cultural and education committees.
Festivities begin at 6:30 pm with music
starting at 6:45 pm and videos starting
after sunset. For more information, visit
our website at apwc.info.
Janelle Dunlevy
Applegate Partnership
Cultural Committee
Janelle@apwc.info
Grants and donations will pay to have this area at Cantrall Buckley County Park
made into “Dragonfly Place,” dedicated to Agnes Baker Pilgrim and her work
as the Voice for the Voiceless. Photo: Janelle Dunlevy/APWC.
Warwick. He leaves behind his life
partner, Nicky Caballera, and legions of
friends, music students, and fans who will
miss hearing “The Orange Blossom
Special” and how “The Devil Went Down
to Georgia.”