[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 42 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E229-E230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EULOGY FOR RAYMOND NOEL RAMSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 8, 2024

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to include in 
the Record the eulogy of a great American, Raymond Noel Ramsey, who 
epitomized what a citizen who gives back to his community, state, and 
Nation is all about.
       On behalf of Peg, Noele, Kelly, Melanie. and the entire 
     Ramsey family, thank you for being here for Ray. How about 
     that obituary and the prayer card! Ever the fashion 
     statement, wasn't he, with those bright pastels and those 
     shirts, that were a reflection of his personality. Yesterday 
     was quite an afternoon and quite a tribute. It was good to 
     see old East Hartford on display--the outpour of love and 
     respect for a man who lived it.
       Now we know he had a great reception committee up there 
     with Billy Mud, Fred Kurtz, Fred Leone, and Jimmy Deleo 
     singing--I'm sure--as he entered the gates of Heaven. As Ray 
     would often remind the faint of heart, life is not a dress 
     rehearsal. He embodied both the right attitude and the 
     appetite for a life well lived.
       Talking with several of you at the wake, and over the past 
     few days, about stories of Ray and what he would want this 
     service to be--Father, I have to start with a disclaimer 
     here--Craig Jordan, Kevin Brown, and numerous others want to 
     be clear that the funniest Rammer stories are not suitable 
     for church or in mixed company. I think it's safe to say he 
     was a guy's guy.
       It was abundantly clear from all, that he would want an 
     upbeat sendoff on his next journey. First and foremost, and 
     most of all, the shared empathy, respect, and love for Peg 
     and his three angels, Noele, Kelly and Melanie. At the wake 
     it was hard viewing and watching them hold back the tears, 
     the grieving and the mourning and with each person. A memory 
     of a man whose actions were bigger than life, knowing even in 
     this difficult moment, what Ray would want is to celebrate 
     his journey and the relationships he shared with all of you. 
     I know I'm stating the obvious, as so many of you have spoken 
     of his lifelong love and relationship with Peg. Many of you 
     have attested that they were the quintessential couple. They 
     simply go together well, Ray and Peg. Peg and Ray. No 
     gathering was complete without them--and you talk about 
     opposites! Yet there was a greater bond that held them 
     together, certainly Noele, Kelly, and Melanie, but it was 
     their great faith and devotion to each other that always 
     resonated.
       Many of you said Ray was always there for you, no matter 
     how trivial or important. How many of you can recall being 
     with Ray into the wee hours of the morning, partaking in the 
     elixirs of life and thinking--as I have--there's no way after 
     this that he gets up and takes Peg to mass in the morning--
     only to be astonished again by him being there for her and 
     their faith, dependable and rock solid. That's love and 
     devotion. That's Ray and Peg.
       Comradery is a great term about a gathering of friends, and 
     as Nick Olivia pointed out, with Ray, those gatherings were 
     always punctuated by having fun and enjoying one another's 
     company, whether at the Hose Club, the Dirty Dozen, the F&L 
     Dinners, or innumerable political events, Ray and a good time 
     were synonymous. He was always a doer, never a complainer and 
     put everyone else first. His last trip to Ireland is an epic 
     example. A trip he had planned for some time with Nick and 
     Vita, Bruce and Wendy, and he and Peg. As Bruce recalls, 
     weeks before, he had terrible and severe back pain and was 
     not feeling well, but would not let his health stand in the 
     way of a great trip with friends. While I'm sure the Guiness 
     helped, everyone knew he was in pain, but he did it because 
     of who he was and the people he cared about. That's Ray.
       As my brother Danny says, having worked with Ray on 
     building the house--and you heard Father say how he did it 
     with his own hands--Ray had many skills, among his 
     specialties was electrical, with a minor in procurement. If 
     we needed hardware: nuts, bolts, nails, screws, blades, zip 
     ties, gloves, paint, or whatever, Ray always managed to come 
     up with a donor and keep us going. My brother went on to 
     describe his essence, saying what I believe everyone in this 
     room agrees with. He was the most dependable friend you could 
     have. First one on the site, and there till the end, and the 
     job was done. He had a broad base knowledge and a hands-on 
     versatility of all of the trades. Nothing that he couldn't 
     figure out with an occasional break for a Marlboro or two. 
     His heart was bigger than himself, it's as if he was made to 
     help everyone else. He was practical and direct and always 
     with an informed view.
       Now, most here assembled know Ray was the master of the 
     power nap. From which virtually in any environment he could 
     fall into a deep sleep, and awake and rally.

[[Page E230]]

     Danny Delmastro, of course, cites the best example of his 
     capability at the annual Aero Med Christmas Party, when about 
     three-quarters the way through a great evening, Rammer says 
     to Danny he's going to ``step outside for a smoke.'' Danny 
     looks at him and says ``it's snowing,'' Ray just nodded and 
     about an hour later with the place closing down and everyone 
     looking for Ray, Danny went outside and found him on a bench 
     with about three inches of snow on his head and his shoulders 
     and said, ``Rammer!'' And Ray responded without missing a 
     beat that ``yes, I'll have a final final.'' That was our guy.
       He clearly is a giant of a man, Jim Iacobellis noted that. 
     He said he had a giant talent. He could do anything he put 
     his mind to. He had giant knowledge. He knew so much about so 
     much, and if he didn't, he'd ask and inquire until he did. He 
     had a giant personality--the life and center of any 
     gathering, you always wanted to be around him and talk to 
     him. He was a giant friend. He had so many, and he knew them, 
     he knew what they liked, and knew what made them happy or 
     unhappy. He was also the first to accept new people and 
     become friends, as he did so with Jim more than 30 years ago 
     when he was the new kid on the block.
       Now, we have a Bocce tournament and a gathering and have 
     done so for 32 years, and whether it's tents, limoncello, 
     garbanzo and hot peppers, you know, and of course, grilling 
     that sausage, it was Ray. And as Linda and Leslie attest and 
     verify and everyone agrees--without Ray, there would never 
     have been a Bocce. He was the essential part and mover.
       I think it's safe to say that the way he lived his life and 
     in talking with David McQuaid, I said, ``David, he had a 
     great run.'' And David looked at me and says ``A run? He had 
     several runs.'' In short, Ray was authentic and original 
     without a phony bone in his body, dependable as the day was 
     long. He was always there for everyone and in so many 
     different capacities.
       In this human comedy we call life, his skills, his 
     curiosity, his inquisitive and honest and practical advice 
     will be what I miss the most. He was the real deal. He was 
     the Rammer.

                          ____________________