Ronald Wayne Childress had a lifelong interest in wrestling, which began at Northside High School under Coach Ken Shelton and continued at Appalachian State University, where he continued his wrestling career.

After college, he came back to Roanoke and started his teaching and coaching career at William Fleming, and then to Breckenridge Junior High School, where his powerhouse teams won numerous Roanoke Valley regional championships. His room at Breckenridge served as a vital foundation for Southwest Virginia wrestling. He developed raw middle school athletes into elite prospects who went on to achieve district, regional, and state championship honors when they transitioned to local high school

Following his time as an active school coach, Ron shifted his focus to officiating after concluding his coaching career, becoming one of the most respected mat officials in the state of Virginia.  He was known for his razor-sharp rules comprehension, consistency, and calm demeanor under intense pressure, he earned assignments to referee the prestigious Virginia High School League (VHSL) State Championships.

As a well-respected official, Ron spent his later years actively evaluating, training, and mentoring new officials for the Roanoke Valley Wrestling Officials Association. He implemented rigorous conditioning and positioning standards to ensure officiating quality matched the high technical growth of local athletes.

Following his untimely passing in Moneta, Virginia, his vast footprint on the local sports scene was preserved through the creation of the annual Ron Childress Tournament, established with help from the Roanoke Valley Wrestling Association (RVWA).

Ron is survived by his spouse, Jerrie Childress, and three stepchildren: Gary, Stephenie, and Kimberly.