I
i I ii
Your Hometown Newspaper
November 28, 2013 -.11
I i , r . ~ ~ f i .
.y .,rry
It is said that the heart and
the mind process grief dif-
terently. The heart feels like
itis aching, there is
tears. I don't know
enough about the makeup
of the human body to under-
stand how that happens, but
it hai nS.
The mind processes a
death sort of logically, try-
ing to figure out what hap-
pened, where it happened,
who it to, things
that are logical and rational
and understandable.
But, when the sadness
and grief come from a death
that was unexpected and
violent, the processes of the
heart and mind become in-
termingled.
On a Sunday night, Oc-
tober 6, 2013, a rainy night
when the sky opened up
with a fury, my close and
dear friend Ray Ellis, on his
way to church with his wife,
Nellie, was struck by a car
on Slate Avenue and later
died at the hospital. At the
visitation, I said goodbye to
one of the closest friends I
have ever had.
Ironically, that particular
day was the 4th anniver-
sary of the death one of my
rescue cats, Maggie, who
I accidentally killed under
my rediner. She was about
two months old. The rain
had been coming down so
hard,:l couldn't go to Mag-
gie's on October 6th. I
know somepeople will think
rm crazier than I have been
diagnosed, but a death of a
soul that is close to me in
my life is still a death that is
to be mourned, whether it's
a friend, a family member or
one of my beloved pets.
I tried to keep my mind
busy that night, trying not
to think about Maggie for a
while. I logged on to Face-
book just to see what was
going on in town. That's
where I saw the news of
Ray's accident.
It's hard for me, has got-
ten harder for me over the
past couple of years, to go
to funerals, because since
I've been in Bath County, I
have been to so many, I be-
came almost numb to the
proceedings and the grief
pushes me to a place I don't
like to be, close to the edge
of my mental limitations, so
I didn't go to Ray's funeral.
Ray was one of a kind,
in a good way and he and I
first met at the Outlook of-
fice when I started working
there over ten years ago. I
don't remember the exact
year we met, honestly, num-
bers escape me at times, but
I believe I have known Ray
for about 12-13 years.
I don't make friends eas-
ily, mainly because I don't
trust many people, that's
why my circle of friends in-
cluded Ray and a few more.
Ray and I sat side-by-side
at the Outlook office and ex-
changed a lot of stories over
the many days we worked
together.
He and Nellie owned the
Kountry Kettle Restaurant
l l
in Miller Plaza at that time.
It was a very popular place
that I ate at quite often and
where, on occasion, Marga-
ret Metz and I would have
lunch and where we would
celebrate our May birth-
days together.
Margaret passed away
this year also and I look
back on the yesterdays she
and I shared at work and
at the Kountry Kettle. She
holds a special place in my
heart and I cherish those
lunches she and I would
have, Ray sometimes join-
ing us for a cup of coffee
and some gossip.
There was a table in the
back of the restaurant that
Ray claimed as his personal
domain, but I managed to
wrangle my way to the table
on many occasions and fi-
nally it was just natural to go
to that table when I walked
into the Kettle.
One night, I even washed
dishes when one of their
employees didn't show up.
Sometimes, when the res-
taurant closed and the last
customer had left, I would
stop by after Ray called me
and said he would like some
company. We would sit at
that back table and talk
about everything. There
was nothing off limits as to
what we would talk about. I
knew he could keep some
thing to himself if I told him
to do so and I made the
same promise to him.
Occasionally, we would
have a drink. Some people
I know, if they had known
about that, would have
frowned and pointed fingers
at both of us, but neither
one of us cared what people
"would" say and we enjoyed
the moment while it lasted.
Ray was a good person,
with a good heart and a
personality that would win
over whoever came into his
circle.
Recently, he had battled
a medical crisis and was on
his way to recovery, I have
been told and I had not spo-
ken to him or seen him in
recent weeks, but I would
think about the good times
we had and the laughter
we shared when I accom-
panied him on his trips to
Sam's Club to buy supplies
for the restaurant. Some-
times we would go to Max
and Erma's to have lunch or
sometimes we would go to
the Waffie House to indulge
in food that was not really
good for us, but tasted heav-
enly.
I'm not going to dwell
on the aspects of the acci-
dent because I don't want
to remember him that way.
He is more than a highway
statistic, he is more than a
victim, he was a friend who
accepted me, warts and all,
without judgment. Some-
times he would be critical of
some of my decisions, but
it was always constructive
criticism.
He attracted people to
him because he knew how
to make a person feel com-
fortable, he knew how to
carry the conversation and
he had a wicked sense of
humor.
I will miss all of that, but
most of all, I willmiss those
talks we had over those
drinks late at night in a
closed restaurant, when the
world seemed far away and
it was just two friends enjoy-
ing that moment in time.
I pray he is resting in
God's loving arms and will
be at eternal peace.
It is God's decision to call
someone Home and I am
not one to question that de-
cision. I can only grieve and
pay my respects to a man
I loved as a friend, by hon-
oring him with the words I
have written here. It's what
I do best, write my thoughts
down so others can read
them.
There is a Beafle's song
that I think sums up my life
at this momem = 'There's a
shadow hanging over me,
but I believe in yesterday".
Yesterday doesn't have to
be literally the day that has
just passed, it can mean the
years that make up a per-
son's life and memories.
My circle of friends has
diminished by one, but I do
believe in yesterday, where
the memories of my friend
Ray Ellis will live forever.
Rest in peace, Ray, will
see you one of these days
where we can talk among
the clouds.
I know our time on earth
is limited and no one is
promised tomorrow, so that
is why we should embrace
our blessings while we can
and be ~anMul for the pe9-
pie
we 10ve and enjoy the
moments as they happen. :
And so, on this upcom-
ing Thanksgiving Day, I am
thankful for the blessings
in my life = my family, my
friends, my physical health,
my beloved fur babies (Boo,
Darby, Toot, Emma, Pete,
Penny, Linus, Lucy Belle
and Charlie Girl). My faith
is still strong, but I am a
"work in progress", still
slipping and sliding my way
toward Heaven, falling on
my face and getting back
up and embracing the life I
have created for myself. !
I hope someday, as my
time on Earth comes to
end, I get to see my babies
again, the ones that have
passed away (my dogs =
Nikki, Nugget, Chocks,
Benjamin and my cats =
Beanie, Maggie, Matilda,
Lola and Topper).
As you can see, I've losta
lot of precious souls in my
lifetime and a piece of
was broken everytime a
death occured, but God al-
lowed me to move on, one
day at a time.
I was broken, but I put
myself back together, one
day at a time so I could take
care of myself and the nine
babies that live with me.
I am thankful also that I
have lived my life the way I
wanted to and I hope I have
done some good and made
a difference somewhere,
because I still "believe in
yesterday."
i i nll I
Photo bY Cecil Lawson
ChdaSan Social Services held its annual Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner and Auction
SUlldey nftemoon at the Owingsville First Church of God Fellowship Hall. Shown
above are local volunteer auctioneers Phil Copher, Frosty McKenzie, Tom Woods,
with Doug Stone and Howard Stone, not pictured, taking the highest bids for
the numerous Items donated for the auction. The money raised went toward Chris-
thin Social Services building fund. The non-profit social services ministry serves
Bath and Manifee Counties and has provided food, clothing, utility assistance, rent/
~ assistance, flro assistance, and medical transportation to well over a
famillea in 2012-13. Please continue to help them through the holidays
~l~)lNMing, donations, and charitable gifts. You can contact,Christian Social
St 005-074-6906 or by emsil at cssinc@windstream.net. They are located
St44 Ceylle Street, Owingsville.
SHOP
ALL
First there was Black
Friday, then Cyber Mon-
day. Now, Small Business
Saturday can drive shop-
pers to small businesses
across the country as we
enter the holiday season.
Small Business Saturday
was launched in 2010 as a
nationwide event to drive
shoppers to local, indepen-
dently-owned merchants.
Small Business Saturday
was created by American
Express in response to
"small business owners' drove millions of dollars
most pressing need: creat- ' to small .businesses. This
ing more demand for their,~*~ear,' it falls on November ,
products and services: 1,5 "~3~. ~' :
!
million Facebook users, Next week, members of
130 public and private or-
ganizations, and 41 elected
officials declared their
support last year. 100,000
small businesses down-
loaded marketing materi-
als, and 10,000 businesses
signed up for free Face-
book advertising.
Small Business Saturday
is now a national initiative
that marks a day to sup-
port the local businesses
that create jobs, boost the
economy and preserve
neighborhoods around
the country. More than
200 partners are working
together to build on the
past success the event that
the Bath County Cham-
ber of Commerce will be
canvassing the county
passing out promotional
materials, and spreading
the word about Small Busi-
ness Saturday. The Cham-
ber encourages all Bath
County citizens to support
a vibrant local economy
by shopping at local busi-
nesses for this year's holi-
day season. For more Ln-
formation regarding Small
Business Saturday in Bath
County, contact the Bath
County Chamber of Com-
merce at info@bathcham-
ber.com.
Mention This Ad and Receive:
1/2 Off Enrollment
OR
Mt. Sterling
Snap Fitness
,So , -,
8_ ~-497-400.~
BIG FOOT SIGHTING AT
ALLISON'S CONCRETE
Our" is a
A r~er~n mad~pr~!
8355 Maysville Rd,
toda.q ! !
I Free Month of Tanning 660 Maysvil,le P,d.
Phon,,-859-2a4-osa8 I w. ster, in,,. Carlisle KY 40311
c,,,, 859-588-8o:,6 403sY (8 5 9) 289-6888
Fax: 859-234-0250 .~ITH~.a ,-7 Behind Arby's
emaii: sdjjO llsoN , ......... **, ....... '""': OPEN 7 DAYS A
5peciat zma in ya,'ms & £and WEEK!
f- ............... I!lll .......... I I! !! Hill .......... !1 ~..1~
C°nstructi°n& I AR RANCil
Removal Inc. F M BUREAU INSU
i, ly insured. 15 yrsII A(}[iN( ' MAN/',,(J[!.R
I
grind stumps. I Derek E llington, Agent I I A, mj,r m.ds = k),#, prim
Owmgswllc Ph. (606)674 6335
.P.C). Box124 II ' ' " ,,,,,Ill
] ~~, ~ ~,:!~,~,~ co,.,.~, .,""~**m~'~ "~ rvmg ,m ,our m,'uram'e : eel."
I ,,~,d:, ~:~ "i&l L,I.I,~ 1"210.1111;;;: 1-XUI.U DUblIIg:;;3,] ell
,!=
:;~,~ "!'7 :' ',, Jack Roe, LU C i'
.... ~ ........ ~Ri)~ ~ "; (606) 784-7164 t
I (606) 784 6446 333 W. First S.
• "-' us out on facebook/thebodyshop " Morehead, Ky. i
[ / Behind,Subwayin Owingsville. 606-782-1460 I ii,
