Ronald Woodfin

WOODFIN, RONALD LYNNAge 73, of Sandia Park, NM, went to be with the Lord on August 4, 2012.Ron was born in Dallas, Texas, February 1, 1939. He was raised in Georgetown, Texas, where he met his future wife, Martha Cloud, in the 1st grade. They were married on January 28, 1962, and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. Ron earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Ron served as a US Naval Officer, mostly aboard destroyers, as a "tin can" sailor. At Boeing Aircraft, he contributed to the design of the 747. He continued to serve his country as an engineer at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center and Sandia National Labs, where he worked on important defense and nuclear safety projects, traveling the world in the process. He also taught courses at Wayland Baptist University and the University of Southern California. Ron advised Congress as a member of the National Academy of Sciences, created several inventions resulting in patents, and authored many technical publications, including a book on de-mining. Ron was pastor of Cedar Crest Baptist Church for 27 years. He was very active in mentoring other ministers across multiple denominations and served as the president of the NM Bivocational Pastors Association. Ron loved woodworking, golf, backpacking, hunting, and skiing and was a voracious reader of history and theology.Ron is survived by his wife, Martha son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Jeanné Woodfin, and grandchildren Jade and Gabriel of Cedar Crest, NM; son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Robin Woodfin, and grandchildren Joshua, Alexander, and Rebecca of Spartanburg, SC; and brother David Woodfin and family of Norman, OK. Services will be held at the Cedar Crest Baptist Church, NM, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 11, 2012, and in Georgetown, TX, on August 18, 2012. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cedar Crest Baptist Church, PO Box 979, Cedar Crest, NM 87008.