Many books have been written about what it means to be a friend, and everyone has at least one of them. A person’s age has an impact on how they define people they consider a friend and what characteristics they hold as most important. When you have lived a long life and you have been fortunate enough to have at least one “lifelong” friend, you have been blessed.
Clifford and Barbara Rains are what I consider lifelong friends, even though it has been many years since we have spent much time together. I first met Clifford at the beginning of the school year in the seventh grade, starting at Burbank Junior High. During the next six years, we would be in the same homerooms and many classes due to our last names. Clifford was the quiet type and not one to be part of the “in crowd.” We became friends, and I enjoyed our conversations. The only time we were together outside of school hours was at the ninth-grade prom when we sat at the same table.
When we started the tenth grade at Sam Houston, we were again in the same homeroom and had multiple classes together. Being old enough to drive and with more activities at school, we got together more often along with Richard Smallwood. Clifford and Richard had gone to elementary school together and they lived closer together. Clifford and I had a year of Wood Shop together and I remember his big project was water skies and they turned out great; however, I never saw him ski on them.
During the 1960 Football season, the Sam Houston out of town game was in Temple Texas. I talked Clifford and Richard Smallwood to go with me to that game and I would drive. That trip was eventful, and I have described it in detail in another blog post Sam Houston vs Temple – RICHRAY BLOG.
In 1962, we were still single, Clifford, Richard, and I planned another trip together to Garner State Park. More details of that trip can be found in another blog post, Memories – Garner State Park – RICHRAY BLOG.
Sometime during the late 1960s, Clifford invited me to go deer hunting with him and his younger brother Billy. Clifford and his father-in-law had bought land with hunting rights. I had never been deer hunting before, so I agreed to go. The details of that trip are worth a few laughs that I have previously blogged about, My First Deer Hunt – RICHRAY BLOG.
It may have been Labor Day weekend in 1968, Clifford invited us to go to Lake Buchanan with him and Barbara for the weekend. Tammy was about 18-month-old, but Eva agreed after Barbara did a little persuading. The details of that trip in are another blog post Weekend With The Rains – RICHRAY BLOG.
In 1989, for our 25th Wedding Anniversary, Barbara and Clifford made us the plaque that I still have hanging on my wall as a reminder of our friendship. There have been so many great memories of the times we shared with Clifford and Barbara; however, the more recent years are memories of seeing them at Sam Houston class reunions. The last time we were there together was in 2011, our 50th anniversary. We missed the 55th anniversary because 2016 was the year Eva had fallen and fractured her neck.
On April 22, 2022, Eva went to be with Jesus. Clifford and Barbara were there at her Celebration of Life.
Then this past October, Barbara went to be with Jesus.
Now Clifford has joined them there. I will cherish our friendship for the remainder of my days here on Earth.
Statler Brothers – Do You Remember These
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