'Something Special, Just for Me!'

Are you familiar with the movie 'The Music Man'?

When I was a boy, mom had a friend that lived in Chicago. Her name was Clara Coors (she was of some relation to the Coors brewing family). For reasons unknown to me, Clara Coors, with some frequency, would occasionally send me a small gift. And it would arrive via the UPS (United Parcel Service) truck. Like the boy Winthrop Paroo, who waited for surprises coming to town on the Wells Fargo wagon, I lived in anticipation of the UPS truck, for I just knew there was "something, something special, just for me" on that truck.

Now, no one else was receiving gifts from her, so I can only guess that mom must have talked about me an awful lot. Unfortunately, I never met that wonderful woman who left such a fond memory and a compassionate note in my heart.

Island of Adventure

East of the city, along the banks of the Ohio River, once stood the area's famous amusement park, Coney Island. When we were children it wasn't unusual for mom and dad to take us to Coney Island on a summer day or evening for picnics at the riverbank picnic grove and hours of entertainment on the midway.

It was here that some of my fondest memories reside, sitting upon dad's shoulders as he carried me through the 'deep' water {the water was probably only 4-feet-deep, and dad was but 5'7" tall, but I was just a toddler at the time} to the island raft in Sunlight "The World's Largest Recirculating" Pool. Or, when I rode upon dad's shoulders on the park's midway so that I may see over the heads of the crowd of spectators to watch live entertainment being presented, or fireworks.

At the other extreme, my favorite ride was the carousel; spinning to the sounds of a Marine bandbox.

But my fondest memory is of grabbing dad's hand and leading him to the thrill rides that he and I most enjoyed. Once the rest of the family was settled and prepared to take off to enjoy their interests, I grabbed dad by the hand and we headed off to ride the Wildcat rollercoaster. You see, dad especially enjoyed roller coasters, as I learned to as well with his introduction. And the rougher the better. I was so small that dad had to place his arm around me and hold me into the seat for the wildest and best ride in the world.

The other family members had less of this interest, with one exception. At the end of each visit to Coney Island mom and dad would gather us together at the entrance of The Shooting Star roller coaster, a long rising and falling wooden thrill ride that paralleled the midway and river, that ended in a dark curving tunnel. There we four kids would wait while mom and dad took their one ride together for the evening. What seemed to become a romantic tradition, we children would watch as mom and dad rode up to the summit of the chain-driven first hill, dad's arm around mom; culminating in their later exit with a vision of their own childhood.

"Trick Or Treat!"

For Kristi's first Halloween I dressed her in a clown costume and, using red lipstick, I made round circles on her cheeks and nose. Taking her from house-to-house with her cousin Laury, I instructed Kristi on how to approach the house and what to say to the homeowner when they came to the door. Uncertain, and somewhat afraid, I escorted her up onto the first couple of porches. However, at the third house Kristi instructed me, "Daddy, I can do it myself!" She learned quickly.

"Not With My Son You Don't!"

A slight woman of petite stature, mom once confronted our (6'2"/220lb) church choir director in the church parking lot following morning service for inappropriately alienating her son, Jim, during choir practice; correcting and telling him, "NOT WITH MY SON YOU DON'T!" Jim soon received a public apology from the choir director in front of all the boys in the choir.

A Horse Is A Horse, Of Course, Of Course .....

'A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse, of course, that is, of course, unless the horse ----- Is a giraffe!'

 

Bobby is the first-born of our generation. Being so, and spending a significant part of his youth with grandma and grandpa Rickard, he has many a memory of various events and activities surrounding his upbringing.

One of which is the time when, as a toddler, grandma and grandpa took Bobby to the zoo.

As grandpas are want to do, teasing as they will, while visiting the giraffes, grandpa told Bobby that the giraffe said 'Hi!' to him.
 

Of course, Bobby believed him. And, to this day, he still does! After all, would grandpa lie?

 

Eulogy for Mary E. Rickard



EULOGY FOR MARY E. RICKARD [1/2008]

The saying goes, “Oh! If we could only see ourselves as others see us.” And, it is also true that all too often we never learn of our impact on the lives of others for it is at moments such as this, the funeral for Mary Elizabeth Rickard, that the joy, the surprise and the caring we experience with another; friend, family member, neighbor is brought to the surface and made public.

We all have our personal traits and histories that are humorous or funny, serious or sad, generous and thoughtful, all too human, that we experience or we generate, and leave behind for others to reflect upon, that characterize our lives; lives that are often remembered by the smallest and seemingly most insignificant events.

For example: Mary’s niece, Margie remembers MiMi, as she was known to her family, taking her to her very first movie at a local theater. The movie? Mary Poppins. And, accordingly, Margie pictures MiMi as Mary Poppins in her memories.

Bobby will remember virtually growing up on Wellston Place, in the house that Grandpa Rickard built, surrounded by the Rickard family and the love and attention he received from Mimi. Especially while dad was away during WWII and the years of national recovery following that war, when Americans again began rebuilding their lives.

While I myself have many fond memories of MiMi, there is one memory in particular that was both touching and principled. I will carry it with me always.

Winston Churchill, statesman and Prime Minister of England once said, “We make a living by what we get, but…..We make a life by what we give.”

Many years ago, at a time when I was struggling financially and wondering where I would find the cash to buy Christmas gifts for my daughter Kristina, a card unexpectedly appeared in the mail. It was from my aunt MiMi. Enclosed was a check, and the card read, “Remember this, and one day you will help someone else.” To this day I do not know how she knew. I had not made any mention of my concerns to her. But, she knew! And her unsolicited generosity has had an impact on me, and no doubt many others, that will live long past her time on this earth.

Coming from simple and modest beginnings, MiMi was just an average middle-class American. But she had some flare for entrepreneurship. In her life, MiMi, along with her sister Margaret, our mom, had owned and operated some local dress shops in O’Bryonville and Madisonville. She had a great artistic talent for flower arranging at Flowers By Marjorie in O’Bryonville, and for many years as a saleslady at fashionable Martin’s at Hyde Park Plaza. Full of energy, vivacious, and maybe just a little bit hyper-active (ha, ha), MiMi continued working well into the years that most people spend in retirement. Not because she had to, but because she enjoyed people, making their acquaintance and their friendship. She was a real pro. And a talented one at that!

Late in life, Mary reflected on her years. She felt accomplished in her work, loved in her family, experienced in her travels, happy in her community and ready for the Lord to bring her home. Leonardo da Vinci put it best, when he said, “As a well-spent day brings sleep, so life well used brings happiness in death.”

George M. Cohan, the famous broadway entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, director and producer (he was a very talented and BUSY man) wrote a popular melody called ‘MARY’. The song’s Refrain went…….

FOR IT WAS MARY, MARY, PLAIN AS ANY NAME CAN BE;

BUT WITH PROPRIETY, SOCIETY WILL SAY ‘MARIE’.

BUT IT WAS MARY, MARY, LONG BEFORE THE FASHIONS CAME;

AND THERE IS SOMETHING THERE THAT SOUNDS SO FAIR,

IT’S A GRAND OLD NAME!

And, stating with the most flattering of intended graces and class that she was, Mary was a grand ‘ole dame.

That's The Ticket!

Charlotte {Rickard} & John Long

Following Johnny's Navy service during WWII, and journalism education in California and Boston, he returned to his hometown of Cincinnati. He met his future wife, Charlotte, when, while attending a church festival, he bought a raffle ticket. He won $2000! It was Charlotte who sold him that ticket. When reminded of this story many years later, Charlotte said "I married him for his money!"