Everything Grows

In 1964, our family moved to the Wenatchee Valley. My dad, Tony DeRooy, had just been hired as the first Landcape Supervisor at Rocky Reach Dam. Prior to that, he had worked for the Great Northern Railroad as the third of only three (ever) Superintendents of Parks. He had followed in the footsteps of my grandfather, Arie DeRooy, who had the position from 1934 until his death at Many Glacier Lodge on August 8, 1951. Growing plants, flowers and children was their life work. Anyone who knew these men, as well as the women who have stood faithfully by (thanks, Mom!) recognized their passion. This blog will be concerned mainly with dahlia and garden thoughts, but will also discuss things that are happening in the beautiful valleys, plains and mountains that we know as North Central Washington.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

GOOD BYE, OLD FRIEND

By now, a lot of you will know that the NCW Dahlia Society has recently suffered the loss of one of our pillars. Ray Brain, a founding member of the club, passed away on October 15, a few days after suffering a massive stroke. He is survived by his wife, Bev and children Eric and Shelly. Ray was one of those consummate dahlia guys, with a love of dahlias coursing deep through his veins and within his fragile heart. I had the good fortune to meet Ray years before I started growing dahlias, through my dad, Tony DeRooy. I'm afraid that Dad was the one who got Ray "hooked" on dahlias, and for years, they were a duo to be both feared and respected when it came to growing the "big boys!" They totally enabled each other's addiction, and had the greatest respect for each other. They knew they were cut from the same piece of cloth.

As long as I have known Ray, I doubt that a day ever passed that he didn't think about how his garden was growing, or what he could do to improve on things at the club garden or for our club. If every dahlia grower had the type of commitment that Ray had, along with the luxury of time, no club would ever suffer for lack of involvement. Although Ray struggled with a number of physical challenges as he aged (he was only 79 years young!), he didn't let anything stop him from giving 110 percent of what he had to give. He always shared everything he had, and he always answered up whenever he could help in any way. People in our club will miss having such a stalwart member as part of our body. After all, Ray always brought the donuts to our tuber sales! Other dahlias growers across the state and the Pacific Northwest will remember Ray for his enthusiasm, and his hunger for learning more about how to grow even bigger, better flowers  Members of our community will remember Ray for his frequent presence at our club garden adjacent to Numerica Credit Union, and also for his "Ray Tags" and indelible, weather-resistant Sharpie Markers, that he always had for sale at our Tuber Sales. Last spring, there was a lady who had so appreciated the time that Ray spent, answering her questions and giving her advice the PRIOR YEAR,  that she brought him a gift, wrapped in paper and a bow, to thank him for everything. He made this kind of impact on so many people, and I'm sure when we show up with tubers next spring, many people will wonder, and ask, "Where is Ray?" He will leave a huge hole.

There are many things we all remember and love about Ray, not the least of which will be some of his "colorful" language. I learned from Ray how frustrating it can be when one of those big beauties turns out to be a "crotch-hugger" (large flower with short stem, between two vertical "v" shaped shoots). I'm sure this is a technical term somewhere, right? He also was well known among club members for his admonition against saving any tubers that we weren't sure of the varietal name - "When in doubt, THROW IT OUT!" He was not a huge fan of our "grab bags" of "UKs" (unknown varieties) that were popular among Wenatchee Valley bargain hunters! His little blue 4x4 was filled with garden tools, colored wire, sprinkler fittings, bungee cords, plastic buckets and rope/twine. When he finished a day's work, he loved to have a cold one, and he tried very hard to make sure he didn't break Bev's limit of "just one.!"

I have long held on to the belief that dahlia people often die AFTER show season has ended, and often, they even wait until the tubers are dug and stored. This was true of my dad, who died on November 9, 2006. Ray had his stroke exactly one week after our club sponsored our best show ever. Ray spent much of Sunday at our show, talking and visiting with growers, exhibitors and show visitors. He was in his element, and he told several of us that he was feeling better than he had felt in months. He had a wonderful day, as did everyone who had the opportunity to spend some time with him that day or the evening before, at our potluck dinner. He was so happy to be a part of things, and  to bask in the glow of the passion that emanates from so many dahlia people. We will be remembering him with love, and will celebrate his life on Friday, October 25, at 11:00 AM at the Eastmont Presbyterian Church on Kentucky Street, in East Wenatchee. We are planning to be there with as many dahlias as we still have so late in the season - somehow, I trust that the frost will hold off until after we cut, and he will be surrounded with a family of flowers and those he loved best in his life. Godspeed, Ray Brain - so blessed to have had a chance to know you. Say hi to Dad, OK?
RAY BRAIN

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