09/18/2025
I was lucky enough to have become friends with Riley and Drew over the last two years. The most welcoming people you will ever meet. I will most definitely miss the sarcasm and laughs at our Saturday markets. The world lost a good one.
Yesterday, we lost Drew Ross. Suddenly, shockingly, far too soon.
He was one of those rare people whose presence rippled out in every direction. He touched the Washington County community, the agricultural world, and countless friends and family members. His energy, generosity, and love for this place were unmatched.
For the Historical Society, Drew was more than a volunteer. He was a partner in making things happen. The Running of the Wools simply wouldn’t exist without him. He saw the potential from day one and threw himself into it completely. He provided his sheep, his time, his support, and most of all, his care; for the animals, for the event, and for the people it brought together. That kind of commitment doesn’t come along often.
Today is the Washington County Community Foundation’s Gives Day; normally one of the biggest days of the year for us to talk about supporting the Historical Society. But there are moments when you realize some things are more important than any campaign or deadline.
Today, I’d rather remember Drew. I’d rather honor the way he lived, by giving his time, his heart, and his full self to the people and causes he cared about. If you knew him, you know exactly what I mean. If you didn’t, I wish you had.
We’ll keep telling the stories. We’ll keep building the community he loved. And we’ll carry his spirit forward.
Rest easy, brother. You made a difference, and you will be missed.
