This is not going to be a real easy column to write, but here goes:
With the death of our aunt D’Arleen Waymire last year, it was the end of that first generation of the Moody side of the family to be here on this earth.
Since then, the second generation has had three of them pass on, first with Don Moody, then with Steve Waymire and now with my brother Ron Moody and the oldest grandson on the Moody side of the family. Ron will be laid to rest on Wednesday with his first wife, Jeana Wion, at Brock Cemetery.
I would have thought the three of those cousins would have had longer lives than they did, but God had other plans. Their individual health issues also played a big role in that, and it’s something we have to live with.
But we’ll never forget that or the impact they had on our lives.
Ron and I were in the same graduating class and there were many memories in all of those years even after high school. My son Jamie and I moved in with him after his first wife died to help each other financially. That lasted several years then we went our separate ways again.
Later on, and figuratively, down the road, we lived doors apart until about a year ago when he went to the nursing home and did not return.
Little did we know that we would no longer be neighbors.
Because I worked a lot, Ron and his second wife, Nancy, would take Jamie places with them and I was so grateful for that. They even offered to have Jamie’s graduation party in their garage in 1994.
I even had Jamie be a part of this column when I asked him to share with the readers what his uncle meant to him.
Here is what Jamie said, “One of my favorite memories was when Ron and Grandpa (my dad Lee Moody) took me down to the Nutter Center to see ‘King of the Ring.’ “He got me started on pro wrestling and the card game 31. He let us watch pay-per-views at his house and took me to wrestling matches in Greenville and Piqua, and he even let me stay overnight with him when he was living with Randy Heck. Ron loved everybody above everything else and they loved Ron too.”
He concluded, “I was thankful when Ron and Nancy held my graduation party in their garage.”
Jamie was recently able to see the “King of the Ring” match on cable TV so he could see the three of them in the audience during the match that took place on June 13, 1993. That’s when he learned for the first time that the three of them were also caught on camera walking into the center, which he didn’t realize happened until he saw that. Jamie was elated. He never got to show that to Ron, though.
Yes, I agree with Jamie, Ron and Nancy were great at taking Jamie places with them at various times of his life and I, too, am grateful for that.
Now, all we will have are the memories, but we will cherish them.
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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of Judie Hathaway, William Clark Sr., Korene Rae Downey, and, of course, our brother.
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Please pray for Todd Anderson, Terry Overbay, Terry “T.A.” Anthony, Jason Kelch, Liz Schreier, Sunni Jones, Michelle Brumbaugh Jones, Corinna Alexander, Katie Cothran, Lynne Bruner Hinshaw, Tom Everhart, Donn Thornhill, Carissa Rodriguez, Kevin Christman, Ivan Christian, Scott Monnin, Roger Fleckenstein, Karon Crowell, 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, Donald Booker, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Ralph Byrd, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Doug Whittington, Neal Gray, Judie Hathaway, 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 to:
May 13 to Jimmy Miller and Mary Hemmelgarn Cox.
May 14 to Tom Buemi, Pauline Albritton, Ruth Koverman, Wanda Armold, Reganne O’Connor, Gavin Kelch, Dean Eby, Justin Shuttleworth, Greg Langenkamp and Mike Strange.
May 15 to Tasha Caulfield, Kyle Cox, Chuck Miller II, Gary Cothran and Mindy Berry.
May 16 to Ethan Hemmerich, Ed Ruhe, Derick Hathway, Jody Van Hoose, Nancy Fetters, Kathy Street, Vickie Ward Gossard and Corinna Alexander.
May 17 to Katelyn Crawford, George Starks, Mike Appleman Sr. and Debbie Nixon.
May 18 to Bonnie Schiedel, Kathy Hamilton, Kendra Earick, Zach Brown, Travis Shinn, Scotland, Scott Ward, Aaron Keaser, Dixie Marker and Joyce Bowers..
May 19 to Alan Rismiller, Mason Hiestand and Daniel Soward.
Happy anniversary to Larry and Cheryl Peters on May 14; Jennifer and Dave Sturgill and Karen and Adam Kunk, all on May 19; and Kris and Michelle Dickey on May 19.
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Think about it: “Measure wealth not by adding up the cost of the items you possess, but by thinking of the things in your life for which you would not take money out for.” – Author Unknown
