Born December 16, 1943, in Newton, Massachusetts, to Stanley and Charlotte Gird. Ron was a loving husband, a proud father and grandfather, an avid meteorologist, a consummate educator, and always a reliable help, encouragement, and support to all who were blessed to have known him. Ron attended Pennsylvania State University, earning a degree in Meteorology in 1967. Following graduation, he joined the Air Force and served as a Weather Operator from 1967 to 1971, including a deployment to Vietnam. Ron had a long, distinguished career as a meteorologist, proudly working in satellite research, weather safety education, and community outreach for more than 47 years. The majority of that time was with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from which he retired in 2017. For the 150th anniversary of NWS, Ron shared how his career started...In His Own Words
"Ever since I was a 5-year-old child growing up in Boston, Massachusetts, I knew I wanted to become a meteorologist. I experienced two major weather events which determined my career in meteorology: a surprise thunderstorm at a family gathering and Hurricane Carol (1954) passing over our community.
"I spent the summer of 1966 working for the NWS (then known as the Weather Bureau - ed.) at their northernmost weather stations, Resolute Bay and Alert, Canada, and it was then that I knew I wanted to work for the National Weather Service. I was a Junior at Penn State and applied to work at NWS as a summer student in their arctic weather stations. Spending the summer months with NWS full-time staff at these two stations gave me a real appreciation for the passion and excellence shown by the NWS staff while working in some of the harshest and most challenging environments on Earth. Regardless of the weather conditions, the NWS staff did their daily work with great passion and determination and got the work done correctly and on time, but most of all they really enjoyed their work. Never did I hear NWS staff complain about the challenging weather conditions they faced daily. I was thrilled when the staff invited me to help launch the daily radiosondes -- this was a real thrill. Meal time was a time to let loose and share daily experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly events of the day. In the land of the 'midnight sun,' windows in the sleeping area were painted black in order to block out the sun. There was no local social life in these locations, only the staff on station for 24/7 every day for two months. Talking to the same staff every day could get boring at times.
"I remember taking a flight to Thule Air Base, Greenland to pick up supplies for the upcoming winter months. Flying in this region had its special moments -- I recall our landing approach to Resolute Bay, sitting in the jump seat between the two pilots and all we could see was dense fog in front of us, but it did not phase the pilots at all. We never saw the runway until seconds before touchdown. The pilots shrugged it off as just another day at the office. I was so happy to be on solid ground once again!
"Most memorable moment: the first time I could grow a beard, though no one thought much of it. Most of the staff grew beards. Additional moments to remember were visiting the local Eskimo village and learning how they survived such harsh conditions. Occasionally we would take hikes to tour the countryside and saw herds of muskox roaming freely.
"My two months with NWS staff in the arctic region, filled with a lifetime of memories, was my defining moment for joining the NWS. The dedication and passion shown by the NWS staff was my inspiration to join the premier weather organization in the world. I was honored and thankful to work at NWS, enjoying every moment and every assignment in my career. No regrets."
Ron's passion for meteorology encouraged him to support educational programs about the weather for children. Ron served as an advisor for the Young Meteorologist Program, the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts and the NOAA Education Council. He was a member of the STEM Advisory Board for the Children’s Science Center Lab and championed the Satellite Educators Association (SEA) from its formation. Representing NOAA and the National Weather Service, he was a key speaker at the first Satellites & Education Conference organized in 1988. Ron helped plan, and participated in, thirty-five such annual Conferences both at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and California State University, Los Angeles. Conference attendees recall conversations where Ron immediately conveyed a sense of enthusiasm and genuine care for teachers and bringing the science of weather into the classroom. Ron left a lasting impression on middle and high school students in SEA's international research collaborative for grades 8-12 as he explained the NWS internships available to the most promising. Ron was a regular contributor of articles for the SEA Newsletter. Readers will miss his by-line. As a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Ron was a familiar and friendly face at AMS annual meetings and played an integral role in strengthening a connection between AMS Project Atmosphere and the National Weather Service. In 2004 he was elected to the board of directors for the Pennsylvania State University College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Alumni Society.
Ron was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairfax, Virginia, where he taught Sunday School and served on the church council. He was also a member of the congregation’s Caring for Creation team, the Intern Committee, and the Sabbatical Planning Team.
Ron loved being a husband and father, was proud of his children, and adored his grandchildren. He passed away April 25, 2026 at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife Cynthia, son Andrew and his wife Allison, daughter Michelle and her husband Joshua, grandchildren Wyatt, Jack, and Peter, a sister, a brother, and an extended family. His remains are interred in Fairfax, Virginia.
There are so many magnificent stories to to be told without enough space here. Ron will forever live in those stories as long as we remember and share. For now, John Moore offers words that echo what is felt by all who knew Ron Gird:
"I am grateful to have known Ron not only as a colleague, but as a friend. His leadership, generosity, and unwavering support for teachers and education leave a lasting legacy.
"Well done, good and faithful servant."
You can remember Ron in several ways:
Thank you to all who contributed to the creation of this memorial: Ron Gird, "In His Own Words;" Ron & Cindy's daughter Michelle Henry; Helen Martin, retired classroom teacher, founder of Satellite Educators Association, creator of the Satellites & Education Conference, Founding Director of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Board Certified Teacher in Adolescent/Young Adult Science; Simon Cracknell, classroom teacher in the United Kingdom, current Satellite Educators Association President; John Moore, retired classroom teacher, past President of the Satellite Educators Association, former Albert Einstein Fellow, Executive Director of the Institute for Earth Observations at Palmyra Cove; Tom Wrublewski, retired GOES Technical Acquisition Manager at NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service; Pete Arvedson, retired classroom teacher, founding member of the Satellite Educators Association, SEA Web Manager, SEA Newsletter Editor.