Earlier this year, Te Puke Times published a story about Ron Murray and the release of his book, and first novel, Coromandel Dreamin’.

The four years he spent writing Coromandel Dreamin’ roughly coincided with the retired corporate communication specialist’s up-and-down battle against metastatic melanoma.

In many ways, the book was a beacon - a guiding light - that helped him through the journey.

Ron died in October, but not before he completed another book - this time celebrating his love of shells.

And once again, it was seeing the project through that gave him a purpose and a goal to aim for.

Through the book - About Those Shells, a seashell aficionado’s gentle guide and tribute to the molluscs of the Bay of Plenty - Ron wanted to share with others the beauty he found in shells. Beachcombing and collecting shells was a lifelong passion.

Before he died, Ron spoke to his friend and former colleague, James Smith.

“It’s not intended to be a hard and fast guide to every shell you’ll find, it’s more of a tribute to the beauty that’s strewn up on the beach,” he told James.

Ron moved back to the Bay of Plenty from Auckland last year following a decline in health.

“At that point I was still able to go down to the beach and do some exploring. It was a real joy to get back and put my feet in the sand and wander semi-aimlessly to find treasures at the beach.”

Knowing time was not on his side, Ron put aside a novel he was working so he could concentrate on writing a book about his beloved pastime of collecting shells and beachcombing. About Those Shells would become his major focus, despite a rapid decline as the cancer gradually sapped his strength.

The cover of About Those Shells by Ron Murray.

“I’d stopped reading, stopped watching TV and listening to music, but you have to find something that fills that space,” he said, just two days before he died peacefully at his Pāpāmoa home.

“I’ve kept going by working on the shells book and having this goal of getting it done before I died or before I got to the point where I wasn’t with it anymore or couldn’t function to write,” he said.

“I called it a beacon, something that would distract me from the rubbish that was happening with the cancer and to some extent it has done that job magnificently. “The book is here, so for me it’s ‘mission accomplished’. It was a definite welcome distraction and was probably the one thing that I could do. I could still think, write and organise.

“Melanoma is a grim cancer and it’s very unpredictable and generally it doesn’t let go. To beat it is extraordinarily hard but to me this is small victory.

“I managed to get my book finished while fighting that other stuff. I’m like ‘yee ha, ya boo, sucks to you melanoma’. It will close me down in the end but I can at least say ‘I got that book out!’.”

James photographed Ron’s shell collection for the book.

“He was totally focused on getting the content just right,” said James. “His determination and enthusiasm were testament to Ron’s professionalism and high standards right until the end, even at a time when his health was failing fast.

“He was absolutely determined to get his final book finished in the remaining days he had left.

“It was a pretty special moment when a parcel from the publishers arrived with 40 copies of his book, which he’d earmarked for family members and close friends. He was absolutely delighted. It meant so much to him to have completed what he’d set out to do.”

Ron died on October 25, aged 67. He is survived by his wife Jill and sons Cameron and Duncan.

About Those Shells is available to order from Amazon.com.au at $20.

-Te Puke Times.