Tributes
Leave a tributeStill haven't made it to Belize, YET!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
I still haven't made it to Belize, my friend. Hope you are enjoying the sunny climes and cool drinks wherever you are.
Still miss you.
Those who took the time to get to know him were well rewarded. He was fortunate to sit on a row full of crazy, fun-loving people. (Hope Sheila writes about the early morning dancing.) He had a job through which he helped people; he had a few devoted friends who cared about him passionately; and he loved books, plants and birds. It was a very good life.
I left Workforce in January, 2013. That signaled the beginning of a closer friendship with Ray. We became movie buddies. I remember the last movie we went to was not Ray’s cup of tea, but he loved going to movies, so he didn't care. We exchanged daily emails, where his inordinate intelligence and humor shined. Often I would have to ask him what a word meant, as I had never heard of it before. He sent pictures of animals early every morning. My new co-workers got hooked on them and really miss that now….
During our conversations outside of work, I would just sit and listen to Ray tell a story. His love for reading took him to a world few of us will ever experience. As a result, he was a truly amazing story-teller. He remembered every little detail because every little detail was important to him.
Ray had a work ethic that meant if you don’t feel well, you come to work. When you are at work you do your job, but you try to find better ways of doing it. When you are at work you help your co-workers find solutions to problems. You water their plants. You put desserts on their desks when they are off doing something else because you know they love sweets! You always ask them how they are doing when you know they have been struggling with something.
Ray cared so deeply for people. Being quiet by nature, I doubt that many of you ever knew how much you meant to him. He would do anything for others that he could – that’s why he came to work every day. You were his family and he loved you!
I miss you so much, Ray. But I know you are in a better place and that we’ll meet up again one day. In the meantime, just keep reading. I’m looking forward to more of your amazing stories....
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Barney Miller - Joe
The times we had during UI orientations and signing clients in are good memories. Ray would give the client a hand-out, explained to fill it out and we would pick them up after the orientation. It went something like this:
“Fill out the top sheet, we will pick them up after the orientation and please have a seat in the room”. They would say “What, I did not hear you” Ray would repeat “Fill out the top sheet, we will pick them up after the orientation and please have a see in the room”. I still did not hear you. Once again Ray repeated “Fill out the top sheet, we will pick them up after the orientation and please have a seat in the room”. Ray would look at me and I would tell the client “Fill out the sheet, sit in the room and wait for us to pick them up”. Then Ray would go back to humming the theme from “Barney Miller” or it sound like that to me since it was one of my favorites. You just had to enjoy times like those. Glad I was there.
When are we going to Belize?
Ray and I had an ongoing joke that I was going to retire and take him with me to Belize.
He said he would go only if the senoritas had red hair. I told him I would bring wigs with us!!
On June 6th we celebrated the May birthdays (mine was May 2nd).
Ray had signed my birthday card sometime in the month of May.
"Happy Birtday Belize is calling, Ray"
He beat me there!!
Memories of a brief morning viewing
I am a fairly new employee at the workforce center, however, I had the pleasure of being in the company of Mr. Ray on early mornings Mon/Tues @7am. at the popular printer for employees on the floor @ cube 220. He was a busy man and one particular Monday morning, he took the time and stopped at my desk which is next to printer and he joined in on me listening to DickGregory and Paul Mooney for a good ten minutes. We exchanged opinions and our views about the topic at hand and before he left he told me thank you for letting me listen. I told him know problem anytime. Then he welcome me to the workforce center as a new employee. Since then I was a big fan of his.