As I write this column, it’s Father’s Day, so I want to take this day after to wish all of the fathers of my friends and family the message in the artwork that accompanies this column.
This is the ninth year without our father, Lee Moody Jr., who passed away nearly two months before his 90th birthday.
He is missed. He was the greatest father we could have. Not only did he love our mother, but he loved his children and grandchildren and would love all of his great-grandchildren if he were still with us. He was a great provider and offered lots of advice to us over the years.
We have fond memories of him.
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Our family is slowly dwindling as far as cousins go. Just this year alone, thus far, six of our first cousins on both sides of our family, the Moodys and the Riffells, one of whom was my brother Ron Moody, have passed away. It’s sad, yet it’s part of life and something we have to accept.
Another cousin, Don Moody, was the first in our generation to pass away in March of 2024.
Last year, Dad’s sister, D’Arleen Waymire, was the last sibling of five in the family to pass, and I wondered then how family life was going to go after that.
Our mother, Beatrice Riffell, was the last of her eight siblings to leave this world and that was in September 2019. She too is missed.
This year, the first cousin to pass away was Steve Waymire, then my brother Ron, followed by the ones on mom’s side of the family, Carol Byrd, Virginia Lee Riffell Pennington and Sharon Riffell Maloy.
Time sure does fly by and we must make the most of it while we’re here. You just never know when your time will be up. Even though we cousins have all gone off in different directions, I’m sure we won’t forget our childhood memories when we got together, especially at reunions.
So sad.
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Austin Matthew Forney, son of Matt and Lisa Forney, graduated Magna Cum Laude on May 25 from Dublin Jerome High School, Dublin, Ohio. Austin is also the grandson of Jim and Robin Hesson of Union City, Ohio.
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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of: Walter Bromagem Jr. and cousin Sharon Riffell Maloy.
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Please pray for Todd Anderson, Carol Schuh, Gloria Hodge, Ralph Byrd, Jeff Brocious, Norma Kretschmar, Beth Davis, Terry Overbay, Michelle Young, Terry “T.A.” Anthony, Jason Kelch, Liz Schreier, Corinna Alexander, Katie Cothran, Lynne Bruner Hinshaw, Tom Everhart, Donn Thornhill, Carissa Rodriguez, Kevin Christman, Ivan Christian, Scott Monnin, Roger Fleckenstein, Bob Jackson, Penny Hopkins, Renee Bergman, Sherry Lawrence, Jerry Gower, Barbara Alexander, Kierra Reichert, Evelyn Manning, Becky Shultz, Kevin Schlechty, Darla Printz Whittaker, Roan Brubaker, Sandy Partin, Sandy Gunckle, Tonya Kelly, Jody Christman, Robert Christman, Mike Hopkins, Bob Christian, Linda Johnston, Terri Hunt, Patricia Maier, Ken Wombold, Dan Lockhart, Delores Beisner, Jodi Gilpin Snyder, Charlie Bulcher, Charlyee Severance, Justin Fritz, DeWayne Yohey, Katrina Hoening, Kara Didier, Carl Francis, Craig “Cheese” Thompson, Bridget Brown, Don DeBord, Otis Stewart, Slug Midlam, Bob Peters, Phyllis Brumbaugh, Judy Collins, Linda Gasper, Carol Hemmerich, Roberta Hall, Kelly Kelch, Mike Mayse, Nikole Baldridge, Mark Lovejoy, Judy York, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Doug Whittington, Neal Gray, Randy Garrison, Kathy Gragorace, Donna Bixler, Cathy Melling and all others who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
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Happy birthday:
June 17 to Jerica Thwaits Stafford, Bill Garrett, Rocky Harrison and Trish Martin.
June 18 to Joyce Walter, Marcia Dakin, Kristin Doyle Beach, Richard Gillette, Suzanne Batten, Harold Marker, Ted Adkins, Hugh Linebaugh, Jackie Stonebraker, Vi Gilbert and Andrew Riffle.
June 19 to Enrrique Hernandez, Sam Wilker, Amy Walls, Tom Butts, Jennifer Billenstein, Larry Woodbury, Allison Reed Fraley and Dawn Dohme.
June 20 to Karen McGreevey Brown, Bev Holsapple, Todd Waymire and Krista Fourman Unger.
June 21 to Troy Kammer, Cindy Mescher, Ron Mescher, Mackenzie Miller and Rita Gilroy.
June 22 to Hannie Newbauer Wolfe and Austin Helmke.
June 23 to Jim Hileman, Darlene Grubb, Don Dietrich, Justin Ungericht, Tyler Edwards and Cindy Cox.
Happy anniversary to: David and Ashley Gilpin and Daniel and Heidi Linebaugh, all on June 21
Think about it: “When the world says ‘Give up,’ hope comes along and whispers safety and believe in yourself. Try it at least one more time. ” – Author Unknown
