Ronald "Ron" Victor Hardway, 77, formerly of Webster County, WV, passed away on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at his home in Scranton, SC. Born December 3, 1946 in Buckhannon, WV to parents Garland Victor and Dorothy Marie (Settle) Hardway of Webster Springs, West Virginia, his youth was spent playing baseball in the Hotel Bottom of Webster Springs in the summer and skating in his school shoes on the frozen Elk River in the winter. He graduated Webster Springs High School in 1965. He first matriculated at Glenville State College (now University) and later at West Virginia University, where he graduated in 1968. Ron loved books, and attempted to surround himself with as many of them as possible, much to the chagrin of all who would later receive boxes of thoroughly worn texts so that he could make room for more. He initially intended to enroll in a Master's Degree program at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science, but the ongoing conflict in Vietnam led him and many others to the halls of Webster Springs High School. Five short years later he moved to the newly constructed Webster County High School in Upperglade, WV. The man who'd wanted to be a librarian instead taught history to thousands of students over the next 30 years, retiring in 1998. If the posts on Facebook made in the days after his passing are to be believed, he ranks as a favorite teacher for many former students and was beloved by many more. He returned to Marshall University in the fall of 1998 as a recipient of the Blake Scholarship, graduating with a Master's Degree in History in 1999 and publishing his thesis on William Lowther Jackson, which recently had its second printing. He ultimately left West Virginia at that time and moved to Lake City, South Carolina, where he roamed the halls of Lake City High School and later the Florence County School District 3 Alternative Center for Education for another 12 years, retiring for good in 2012. He spent the last years of his life chasing children, cats, and dogs under the southern sun. In addition to his love of books, Ron had a passion for history and for genealogy. Ron founded the Webster County Historical Society in 1983 and served as the organization's executive director and editor of the Society's journal, The Webster Independent. Ron compiled numerous historical records of the pioneer families of Webster County, WV along with census records, making them more accessible to people in their research; was instrumental in the publishing of many genealogical records and books on the history of West Virginia and WV natives; and was contacted often by those doing their own genealogy who were seeking his knowledge and expertise to the year of his death. Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Garland and Dorothy Hardway, and his only brother, Alan "Dusty" Hardway of Harrisville, WV. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Victoria (Cowger) Hardway, and his children Haley (Ryan Etlicher, engaged), Parker, and Grayson, all of Lake City, SC. He is also survived by his ex-wife Marsha (Clay) Delaney and elder sons, Aaron (Carrie) Hardway of Upperglade, WV, and Lewis (Jessica) Hardway and their children, Anabella and Wendell, of Fairmont, WV; and his sister-in-law Sharon Hardway and her daughter, Chelsea (Ethan) Shingleton all of Harrisville, WV. He will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by all. Ron's desire was to have his ashes scattered at sea by his beloved children which will occur at a later date. The family would also like to have a celebration of Ron's life for family and close friends in the near future.