William Ronald Cockerille

William Ronald Cockerille

Aiken, SC-William Ronald Cockerille, 76, passed away at his home in Aiken, South Carolina on March 11, 2026.

The son of Stanley William Cockerille and Leona Allison Cockerille, Ron was born on Jan. 30, 1950 in Warrenton, Virginia. At Fauquier High School in Warrenton he discovered a passion for photography and worked part time as a sports photographer for the Fauquier Democrat newspaper.

 Shortly after graduation he enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army and served as a courier, delivering correspondence between Hanau, Germany and U.S. Army headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Ron received an honorable discharge from the Army in April 1977. Young, tow-headed, and bespectacled, he hitchhiked 3,000 miles across America with a camera, a duffle bag, and a California dream. 

He settled in the San Francisco Bay area in Santa Rosa, California and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Photojournalism from San Jose State University. He worked as a photojournalist for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

He described Santa Cruz as a beach town with “a bubble put over it in the 60s while the rest of the world kept moving forward in time.” Just up the coast from the famous beach boardwalk, he set up residence with ocean and lighthouse views, cool breezes, and the sound of sea lions barking at night.

Inspired by the work of combat photographer Robert Capa, Ron moved to Redding, California, where he experienced the adrenaline-pumping challenge of photographing the battlefields of forest fires for the Redding Record Sentinel.

Always looking for new challenges, Ron moved back east to work at the Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia, where he photographed multiple Masters Golf Tournaments and earned an award for an iconic photo of Tiger Woods in 1997.

In his free time, he enjoyed traveling around the world from Europe to Asia, capturing different cultures, quaint towns, and breathtaking landscapes with his arsenal of Nikon cameras. His travels and career gave him the opportunity to meet many people. He was friendly to strangers, quick witted, and instantly likeable. He kept his circle of friends small and intimate.

In 1995, Ron’s travels took him to Nepal and India, where he would meet the love of his life, Kelsang “Kass” Dolma. The couple married and lived happily together in Aiken for 30 years.

Ron is survived by his beloved wife Kass, his daughter, Robyn Burtnette of Virginia, and six grandchildren, Katie Harold, Ally Harold, Carolyne Harold, Lucy Harold, Lily Harold, and Ryan Harold.

Ron led a simple yet profound life. His loved ones have thoughtfully decided to continue his bohemian adventure in the footsteps of his hero, Jerry Garcia, returning his mortal body to the waters of the San Francisco Bay and the Ganges, both beloved by Ron in his life’s journey.

COLE FUNERAL HOME 1544 UNIVERSITY PKWY (118 BYPASS) AIKEN, SC 29801 803-648-7175. Please sign the online registry at www.colefuneralhomeinc.net.