IN MEMORIAM – Ronald D. Krelstein
February 19, 2026
By Gary Anderson, DCM Emeritus
IIN MEMORIAM – Ronald D. Krelstein, accomplished attorney, Double Distinguished Marksman and CMP patron, passed away at his home in Memphis, Tenn., on 10 February 2026, at the age of 83.
Ron earned his law degree at Vanderbilt University in 1967 and established a successful legal practice in the Memphis area. Much of his legal work focused on engagements with law enforcement agencies. Ron was already a successful pistol competitor during his college years when he earned All-American honors and was a four-time National Collegiate Pistol Champion. He won his Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge in 1964 while he was still attending college.
His Pistol honors included the President’s One-Hundred and several National Records. His international experience included membership on two USA Shooting Teams that participated in the Benito Juarez Competitions in Mexico City. They were a predecessor to today’s ISSF World Cup series. As a member of four United States Maccabiah Teams between 1965 and 1984, Krelstein won 10 gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze.
An arm injury ultimately ended his pistol career in the 1990s, but he was able to take up Highpower Rifle shooting. He approached this new discipline with the same dedication and energy that he had devoted to his earlier Pistol accomplishments. He earned his Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1995. That gave him the rare distinction of being a Double Distinguished Marksman. Ron’s subsequent Rifle honors included the President’s Hundred and additional National Records.
Much of Ron Krelstein’s later years were dedicated to promoting and supporting the sport he loved. Four significant CMP National Match trophies memorializing icons in American Pistol Shooting were donated by Krelstein. Those trophies were:
- The Rose Krelstein Trophy, which is named in honor of Krelstein’s mother Rose Krelstein, was first presented in 2007 to the woman firing the highest aggregate score in the President’s and National Trophy Individual Pistol Matches.
- The Gaspar DeFino Junior Pistol Trophy honors a long-time U. S. Navy pistol champion whom Krelstein described as “my friend and mentor for 50 years.” This trophy was first presented to the High Junior in the National Trophy Individual Pistol Match in 2010.
- The Reiter Cup National Pistol Champion Trophy, was named after decorated bullseye pistol marksman and Olympian Steve Reiter and was first presented in 2022. It is presented to the annual winner of the CMP Match Pistol National Championship.
- The T. D. Smith III Trophy, named after the legendary Air Force Pistol Champion, was also placed in competition in 2022. It is awarded to the highest scoring four-person team in an aggregate of National Matches team events.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program expresses its sincere condolences to Ron Krelstein’s family and his many worldwide friends and its gratitude for the many significant contributions that Ron Krelstein made to the sport of shooting.