July 1, 2021
July 1, 2021
When we moved to Vienna in the house next to Ray's and Susan's, the previous owner told us that we would soon find out that the Spinosa's were the best neighbours one could ever hope for.
And so they were. They made us feel very welcome, and they sure helped us, as Dutchmen, to get used to 'the American way of life". And though Ray certainly was a bit intimidating, had a Very Loud Voice, and even though he kept addressing my home country as 'a very small country full of people with very small minds", I immediately liked him, and have ever since. He taught me a lot of vital stuff, like using the Weber bbq, and how to chop wood. and he was simply wonderful for our children.
It was hard to leave Susan and him behind when we moved back to Holland, in 1992. But fortunately we kept in touch. We were visited by Ray in Holland, we used Skype frequently, and later we visited our former neighbours and forever friends in Arizona. We even went out camping with them, for the first time in my life!
I learned later that health-wise things were not going well for Ray, but plans to visit him could not go ahead because I had some health problems of my own to take care of. And still later Covid prevented us from attending the ceremony in Arlington, much to our regret.
But Ray will always be in my mind, as a unique personality, as a friend, and as one of the most interesting and - sometimes deep down! - kindest men I have ever met!
And so they were. They made us feel very welcome, and they sure helped us, as Dutchmen, to get used to 'the American way of life". And though Ray certainly was a bit intimidating, had a Very Loud Voice, and even though he kept addressing my home country as 'a very small country full of people with very small minds", I immediately liked him, and have ever since. He taught me a lot of vital stuff, like using the Weber bbq, and how to chop wood. and he was simply wonderful for our children.
It was hard to leave Susan and him behind when we moved back to Holland, in 1992. But fortunately we kept in touch. We were visited by Ray in Holland, we used Skype frequently, and later we visited our former neighbours and forever friends in Arizona. We even went out camping with them, for the first time in my life!
I learned later that health-wise things were not going well for Ray, but plans to visit him could not go ahead because I had some health problems of my own to take care of. And still later Covid prevented us from attending the ceremony in Arlington, much to our regret.
But Ray will always be in my mind, as a unique personality, as a friend, and as one of the most interesting and - sometimes deep down! - kindest men I have ever met!
