One of coin-op’s true veterans, Ron Carrara, has died after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer – the same disease that claimed his close friend Steve Blattspieler some years ago.

According to Ron’s wife Carol, he’d been in Reno’s Centennial Hills Hospital when he died Sunday morning, Feb. 13. No services had been planned as of this printing, but a memorial might be held for family and close friends in future.

Ron made his stripes in the coin machine business decades back, when he worked for such companies as Bally Distributing in San Francisco, C.A. Robinson & Co. in that same town, plus game manufacturers like Lasertron, Cadillac Jack and Pace-O-Matic (from which he retired in August 2010). He also served as president of AAMA from 1999-2001.

During his decades in the business, he traveled the country and in many parts of the world selling both games and gaming equipment, during which he made a ton of friends like Peter Betti, Mike Rudowicz, Brian Duke and numerous others whom he stayed in touch with, especially during his long illness.

“He was my rock during all 33 years of our marriage,” Carol said. “He introduced me to a lot of colorful people in the industry during the many trips I made with him, and when he became incapacitated, his stories kept me entertained for hours. I will miss him dearly.”

Besides Carol, Ron leaves son Dan, daughters Jennifer and Stephanie, two grandsons and two granddaughters. May he rest in God’s peace.