Note: My cousin Willie Smith wrote me asking how the surprise
dedication of the park bench in Ray Bice's honor went. I wrote her
the following:
Dear Wilma,
It was a really good event! I would guess about 60 or so folks were
there, including your aunt Ardie and uncles Doug, Larry and Kip.
Your cousins Clifford, Larry, (me), Virginia, Sharon & Gene, also
Nora Atwood, Diane Bird, and many other relatives. Also several Breidford kin, and numerous folks who met Ray while working at the
cemetery, including Ray's across-the-street neighbors, who helped
him make the monuments for the "unknown" graves at the cemetery.
Larry and Doug Freeman congratulating Ray Bice
The neighbors were the excuse to get Ray out there, they wanted to
see the unknown monuments in place, because they had helped Ray
assemble
them in his backyard. At least that was the excuse! When they got
nearer the cemetery, Ray noticed the throng of people at the
cemetery. "What is going on there?" he wondered. When they pulled
in and he could see who was there, he recognized many friends and
relatives. "My God," he said, "what are all these people doing
here?" When they got out people started clapping as Ray walked
closer, and rushed to shake his hand or give him a hug. Ray was
overcome with emotion.
Clifford Freeman eventually rounded up everyone with his duck call. He called Ray up and told him we were here to honor him.
Nora Atwood recounts some of Ray's volunteer projects.
I thought Ray might collapse,
he was leaning on his
great grandmother's monument for
support, coughing and choking back the tears. Clifford and
Nora talked about all Ray had done at the cemetery over the years,
how he had inspired many dozens of people to contribute their time
and energy to his vision of beautifying the cemetery. Ray was
speechless, and very emotional as Nora and Ray's wife, Bebe, removed
the tarp covering the bench that had been brought in Saturday and
placed near his ancestor's graves.
Then Clifford called me up. I said I had something for Ray, and
talked about how Ray's volunteer efforts had spurred me to send his
name into
the Bellingham Herald as a nomination in the paper's "Six Who Make A
Difference" volunteer campaign. I said I asked many of the folks
who were there today if they could write in a "second" to my
nomination. I said that I had asked others to send me their
tribute to Ray and I would include it in this. At that point I
pulled out the notebook I had put together and held it up to
show everyone. I said Ray always told me it was
important to never leave any details out when you did something,
it was very important to include everything. I said that was
what I had done. I had
taken every comment that
was sent to me and the newspaper and included it in the booklet.
I opened the notebook to show that I had even put
each sheet of paper in a plastic sheet protector, another
requirement of Ray's.
People chuckled at that, and Ray did also. I then gave him the book, shook his hand, and when I saw Ray's appreciative expression, I choked back some tears of my own, and retreated into the circle of friends.
The cameras came out in full force, with people snapping
pictures every few seconds. Nora told Ray that he and Bebe
needed to try out the bench and so they did. More camera flashes
and I think there were very few dry eyes in the appreciative
crowd.
Nora asked Ray to say a few words, and protesting that he "was
no good at these things," he told the gathering that it was
important to keep the cemetery in good shape. He also said that
he hoped the folks there would continue what he started, having
a spring cleaning picnic at the cemetery, which he said was
important to maintain ties between the living and the dead, and
also amongst the living whose ancestors were buried at
Hillsdale.
Clifford drew the dedication to a close saying that we would
head over to the American Legion Hall for coffee and cake.
People continued to linger, visiting, but the group slowly
headed out of the cemetery and to their cars, with Ray remaining
as one of the last to leave, thanking everyone for coming and
also commenting on how thoroughly everyone had "pulled the wool
over his eyes."
I asked him if he was ever going to trust any of us again after
this, being quick to add that unlike the surprise volunteer
nomination that I kept secret from him, the bench dedication was
Nora Atwood's idea, not mine. He admitted that it would be hard
to believe what people told him. But he did say it with an
appreciative smile, so I took the comment as a good thing.
Most of the group then went to the Legion Hall, and had a good time
visiting with one another. Ray made a point of visiting with
each person and thanking them for the surprise and for being a part
of this special event.
-Rob
