8 minute read
ALL ROADS LEAD TO YORK… EVENTUALLY
from Heritage 50
BY STEDDON SIKES '84
Ever since elementary school, Ron Gallegos ’77 and Shane Eyer ’77 had grown up together in Flagstaff, Ariz. In high school, they governed together, president and vice-president respectively of their senior class. They played football, baseball, and wrestled; both excelling as athletes. In wrestling, they each qualified for state, Ron winning third in his weight class. In their junior and senior years, they won back-to-back state championships in football.
But baseball is where life took a fortuitous path in their friendship. Ron went to Northern Arizona University his first semester of college and Shane to Lubbock Christian. Neither were on an athletic scholarship. Sitting at a Denny’s restaurant late one night during the winter break, knowing the college baseball season was just around the corner, Shane asked Ron if he would go back with him to Lubbock and try walking on the team together. Ron has never been an impulsive person by nature but surprised Shane by saying yes, and off they headed to Lubbock, Texas.
Early in their arrival onto LCU’s campus, a seemingly insignificant parking lot conversation turned their world on its hinge. As the young duo from Flagstaff were walking on campus, an LCU baseball transfer from York College yelled from across a parking lot, “You should have gone to York!” mentioning the Panthers’ 30-game schedule and that their spring break training would be in their home state of Arizona.
In an earlier phone conversation with York College Baseball Coach Steve Small, Shane was offered a scholarship, but Lubbock was closer and he really didn’t know much about the Nebraska program. Now with this new information coming to light about a robust schedule and possible playing time in front of family back home, Shane questioned his initial decision. Even though they were already enrolled in classes, Shane looked at Ron and said, “Wanna go to York?” Somehow, non-impulsive Ron was all in and said, “Let’s go.”
A phone call was made to see if there was a place for both of them on the team, and Coach Small said, “Come on!” They quickly “unregistered” and headed north on Hwy 87. It was around 2 a.m. when a dark blue ‘72 VW Bug and a ’65 Ford Fairlane rolled into town, completing what amounted to be a 20-hour cross country adventure. Bob Nossaman, who served as the Thomas Hall supervisor, science professor, and assistant baseball coach, and whose son Dave Nossaman ’77 was on the team, was there to greet and check them in. Their York Experience was in play.
“Yep, in retrospect that was a crazy time,” Shane said in a recent interview. “Both of our lives were impacted in such an incredible way by a spur of the moment decision. No doubt it was God’s hand at work.” Ron agrees and recalls calling his parents about this new change of plans, who expressed concern about what was going on with their son.
The college roommates hit the ground running as they registered again for classes, met the team, and settled in quickly at York. It wouldn’t be long before the new guys on the block were just part of the social scene on campus. And it didn’t take too much time before a next door neighbor, Richie Edwards ’76, would approach Ron with another life-altering question, “Do you want to have a Bible study?”
Gallegos grew up Catholic and considered himself a believer and basically a good guy. His response was a polite, but firm, “No thanks.” Undaunted, Richie came back with what Ron said was the perfect question — one that kind of rubbed him the wrong way, but eventually in the right way.
“Are you afraid?”
It was the right question to ask because Ron said he wasn’t, and a Bible study between the two quickly began. Near the end of the semester, Gallegos was baptized.
The events were recently retold in an email to Rich’s widow Cindy (Martin ’76) Edwards and she replied, “Yes, I did know that story. Rich was an incredible and unique individual living large in the presence of Jesus!!!” u
Rich became a doctor of chiropractic medicine and would later join the York Board of Trustees and serve for nearly fifteen years. Barbara (Boyle ’76) Thompson, director of student accounts at York University, commented, "Richie was fearless," remembering her classmate’s bold approach to life.
When Shane was asked how he factored into Ron’s conversion story, he quickly dismissed his sphere of spiritual persuasion. “I was a preacher’s kid and probably the worst of influences,” he replied. But he also added that Ron was introduced early in their friendship to his upbringing and had an idea of what his family believed.
Accompanying this big leap of faith at the end of that first semester was another milestone in Ron’s life as well as Shane’s — both were dating the women they would end up marrying. Shane got a head start early on with his courting of Bellevue, Neb., freshman Pam Westerfield ’77 and proposed in February of their sophomore year. Ron went out a few times with Cheryl Alcorn ’77 of Bridgeton, Mo., in the spring of their freshman year, and they began dating regularly when they returned in the fall and were engaged that next spring.
College life during their sophomore year was busy and rewarding for the group of friends. Ron and Shane were again roommates as were Cheryl and Pam. All four were active in social clubs, of whom three were officers, but that didn’t keep them from hanging out together. And there was the A Capella Chorus, East Hill Minstrels, cheerleading, student government, Inter-Club Council, student newspaper, yearbook, and theatre. Ron and Shane, who had never played soccer, were recruited by Coach Small to go out for the team that fall, making the squad and helping the Panthers to a 2nd place finish in the Prairie Valley Junior College Conference.
Between the four, the honors they received covered the full spectrum: class favorites, club sweetheart, Homecoming Queen, Beau and Beauty, Spring Fete Royalty, Who’s Who, most valuable player, All-Regional Team, and Mr. and Ms. York College.
For Gallegos and Eyer, their final season of playing collegiate baseball ended with a conference championship, and the team was one hit away from winning regionals against Lamar, Colo. Coach Small, who passed away earlier this year, was quoted in the 1977 Crusader, “I thoroughly enjoyed working with these young men. They represented York College in a Christian way both on and off the field. It was a privilege to be associated with them.”
Ron shook his head and chuckled as he reflected on those two questions asked of him in a restaurant and then in a college parking lot all those years ago. So many unforeseen twists and turns and blessings. His family, friendships, career, and his relationship with Jesus… all influenced by an answer that surprises him still today. “I am eternally grateful to Shane for being such a good friend and for asking me to go with him, first to Lubbock and then to York. That simple act of friendship set off a chain of events that would change my life forever in so many good ways.”
What began as a late-night conversation at Denny’s in Flagstaff, Ariz., God turned into the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference.
Where are they now?
After working eight years in retail management, Ron went to law school at the University of Arizona, and upon graduation, practiced with a private law firm in Phoenix for five years. In 1995, he was hired by the U.S. Attorney's Office and has been with them for 29 years in both Arizona and Oklahoma. Today, Ron is an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Oklahoma City and serves as an elder at the Waterloo Road Church of Christ in Edmond. Ron and Cheryl have three grown children and eight grandkids.
Shane joined the Navy as an officer, became a pilot, and ended up commanding a Naval Aviation squadron. He had a 20-year distinguished military career before flying for Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets Aviation, the largest private aviation company in the world. He served as president of the company for more than 8 years before retiring in 2017, trading his jet for a motor home. Shane and Pam are members of the Austin Ridge Bible Church in Dripping Springs, Texas, and have two grown children and three grandkids. n p t a 2023 award ceremony, and 1975
