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"It may sound corny, but he was a great guy, said Lapeer City Commissioner Mike Robinet. "You couldn't say anything bad about him."

Robinet, who has served the city for 41 years in various capacities, added, "We've lost a great city attorney." He said Shamblin was a fair and competent attorney who listened to all sides of an issue and "was never afraid to tell us when we were making a mistake."

City Manager Dale Kerbyson said Shamblin served as city attorney for 30 years, "almost to the day," and "now I have the unenviable task of trying to replace him." He said Shamblin's knowledge of municipal law was known statewide. "Everybody seemed to know him when we'd go to a conference," Kerbyson noted.

Kerbyson added that since he graduated from Central Michigan University and Shamblin graduated from Western Michigan University, they had "a congenial rivalry," since the two are to the Mid-America Conference what Michigan-Michigan State are to the Big 10. "He was just a great guy," Kerbyson said.

Noting that Shamblin was an avid pilot, Kerbyson recalled when Shamblin flew the city commission to Marquette to receive an award from the Michigan Municipal League.

"I was an awesome time," Kerbyson said. "It was one of the highlights of my career."

ÊJack Lewis, president of North Branch's Dreams and Wings, Inc., a non-profit group that provides free airplane rides to special needs children, said the loss of Shamblin is "immeasurable" to the group since he "was such a core part of who we. He added Shamblin participated in nearly every fly-day Dreams and Wings held.

"Without a doubt, Ron was my best friend. We were more like brothers," said Lewis with a quavering voice. He said they'd known each other so long that they couldn't remember if they'd first met at Mayfield Township's Dupont Lapeer Airport, where they both flew or through his work for the city's construction code authority.

"He was Ron right up until the end," Lewis said. "He had a wonderful sense of humor. A week ago, Friday he called some friends to come by and say good-bye. He was in control of all he could be right to the end."

Although Shamblin never married, Lewis said. "He was very happy living the life he chose to live. I don't believe he had any regrets."

Lewis said Dreams and Wings pilots will wear white feathers on their jackets for the remainder of the year in memory of Shamblin, who co-founded the group with Lewis. "We think it's much more fitting than black arm bands."

He explained Shamblin helped organize White Feather Flights, an event for families who've lost a child to cancer at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. As part of the event, families are taken on a plane ride during which they are given two white feathers -- one to keep and one to release from the aircraft.

"I'm sure everyone will tell you the same thing," said Lapeer Circuit Court Judge Michael Higgins," "Ron was the ultimate gentleman, the ultimate professional as an attorney." He said Shamblin's passing was a real loss to Lapeer's legal community. "It's just a shame we lost him at such a young age," he said.

"He was just a solid guy," said Lapeer Circuit Court Nick Holowka of the Oxford native. "Anytime anyone needed anything, you could always count on Ron to step forward," said Holowka, who knew him for more than three decades.

Gary Howell, who squared off against Shamblin for decades as an attorney representing several townships surrounding the city, described him as "a remarkably good man." Howell said he and Shamblin were the only two attorneys admitted to the bar in 1974. "As an attorney, you could totally trust his word," Howell said.

He said Shamblin's death is a tremendous blow to the city. "The city is not only losing a very good attorney, it's losing decades of knowledge about city government."

Lapeer Mayor Bill Sprague, another Western alum, said he and Shamblin had "a lot of good talks" about their beloved Broncos. "We'll really miss him," Sprague said.

"Obviously you can always get someone who can do the nuts and bolts of municipal law, but just as obviously when you've lost 30 years of experience, there's going to be a little gap there," he said.

Funeral services for Shamblin were held in his native Oxford Tuesday, followed by burial in the Oxford Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be sent to Heartland Hospice or Dreams and Wings, 5600 Clear Lake Road, North Branch, MI 48461.

Phil Foley may be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8148 or pfoley@lapeergroup.com.