This past Sunday was Father’s Day. Although my father left this earth twelve years ago, I celebrated him on this special day despite his absence. I think about my daddy often, but this past weekend he was heavy on my mind. I was not sad, I was just thinking back over his life and all he meant to me.
Ray Howard Womack was born in 1938 in Emanuel County. My grandparents lived in a wood frame house on my Uncle Joe Black’s farm near Canoochee. That old house stood for many years, and my daddy would always point it out to me. I can still see it sitting out in that field on a little hill, just past Union Grove Church.
My grandparents eventually moved to Midville, and granddaddy owned and operated the ice plant which was located near the river. Tragically, when my daddy was twelve years old, my granddaddy passed away. Bigma, my grandmother, was left to raise my daddy and his three siblings.
My daddy was the oldest child, and he stepped up to the plate at a young age to help Bigma raise the other children. My daddy picked cotton and cropped tobacco on Uncle Joe’s farm to help his family. Later he went to work at the grocery store, W and R, in Midville and continued to help support his family.
At eighteen he joined the Air Force and proudly served his country. While in the service he only kept five dollars a month from his paycheck and he sent the rest home to help his family. My daddy had his childhood interrupted, but I never heard him make negative comments about it. My daddy did what was needed and never skipped a beat.
There was a period in his late youth when he let out all his young emotions. Fair enough. He had been given a big cross to bear. He used to tell me he had a ‘65 Falcon with a 289, a four on the floor and a fifth under the seat. He was a renowned dancer and cleared the floor wherever he went. Then in Herndon one day while visiting Aunt Sarah he saw mama as she lived across the road.
They were soon married and all of daddy’s pent-up emotions disappeared as he was so devoted to her. He went to work at Calvine’s in Swainsboro. He was in the shipping and receiving department and worked there for several years. I know so many folks who worked there and it proved to be a very beneficial place to work for many.
John Cowart came to Midville in the very early years of the 1970’s and opened a steel fabrication plant. My daddy went to work for Mr. John at the very beginning and remained there until he retired. Daddy was the purchasing agent and kept up with all the inventory. I remain grateful to Mr. John and for all he did for our family.
My daddy worked and his only real hobby was doing something with electronics, TVs and antennas. Daddy did all sorts of wiring for an untold amount of people during his life. He was extremely good at it. He was exposed to wiring and things while in the service. I spent countless hours following him around toting his tool bag or pulling wire. I have fond memories of those days.
I watched my daddy look after people throughout his life. He loved my mama dearly as well as my brother and I. He saw to it that I was exposed to all of my relatives and always made himself available to them if needed. I will forever be grateful to him for making sure that I knew my kinfolks.
After daddy had retired and his health declined, he found a new way to look after folks. He called people just to check on them, especially if they had been sick or had a death in the family. Even now, many years after his death, I still have people tell me how much that simple act of a phone call meant to them.
My daddy went to church and even taught Sunday School, but I knew he was not where he needed to be on that front. For years I tried to talk to him about his relationship with God, but he would not talk. Finally, one night, I pushed the envelope and made him mad. He told me he thought he had done things he couldn’t be forgiven for. I left it alone after that.
I did tell him what he needed to do for forgiveness to come and then I just prayed. For years I continued to pray. Daddy was in the hospital on a ventilator, and I knew his time here on earth was short. The day before he died, I walked in the hospital room and held his hand.
As I stood there holding his hand, I remained silent as he was sleeping. His eyes flickered open and he looked up at me and told me he had done what I asked him. I was satisfied and forever thankful. Daddy had lived a good life and helped many during his time on this earth and in that moment, I knew where he was going.
Ray Howard Womack died the next day, but I was filled with great peace. He was always referred to as Ray Howard by his family, his friends just called him Ray, and I had the privilege and the honor to call him daddy.
