Remembering a terrific “Benet Hill Dad” and man...

Ask most any graduate of my high school, Benet Hill Academy, who Ray Rickard was and I’ll be they can tell you... one of the proudest “Benet Hill Dads” of all time.
A long-time Fountain Valley businessman, community volunteer and all-around leader, I first met Ray Rickard back in my high school days...

Every year, students from our all-girl private school and their dads put on a week-long revue, usually to sell-out crowds. As well as the usual singing and dancing, a lot of magic happened on stage during those shows, and special bonds formed as we worked our way through each evening’s show.

A proud family man and good samaritan, even after Benet Hill Academy closed its doors due to declining enrollment, Ray Rickard continued to show his support (through donations of time, energy and more) to the sisters of Benet Hill Monastery and their site in Black Forest often referred to as “Benet Pines Retreat.” Last I can recall, he helped to build a meditation labyrinth there.

During my 27+ years at this newspaper I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ray, a long-time local resident, on a variety of occasions, and quite often he would grace our office with a cheerful hello, a bright smile and some Tootsie Rolls ® (which he often sold as part of Knights of Columbus fundraisers.)
He did a great deal for our community, that space does not allow me to list here. What stands out in my mind as one of his more recent acts of goodwill toward his fellow man was when he nearly “single-handedly” organized an effort to honor law enforcement personnel from the Fountain Valley area at a special dinner and awards night last year.

That’s just the kind of man he was... always willing to lend a helping hand when asked... and sometimes, he took the lead to celebrate and honor others when he hadn’t been asked, but instead- just because someone should do so. Also a proud veteran, he was an ideal American. Ray left his fingerprints all over our Valley,  just as he left an imprint of goodness in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to know him, as well as those blessed to be associated with him and his works of kindness, myself included. It was always an honor to feature his photo in this paper, which we did on many occasions as he was always doing things for others, making us so proud to call him friend! He will be missed.

Farewell to another hero- Billy Oneyear
At presstime, we were sad to learn of the passing of another local resident/hero/leader, who was also a veteran of the Armed Forces. You might remember him best as former Fountain City Councilmember Billy Oneyear.

During the years he served on our city council I and many other members of the News staff had the wonderful pleasure of getting to know him and he was a true gentleman in every sense of the word- with a great sense of humor, too! He had been active in The Retired Enlisted Association and possibly other veterans groups, and to me, it always felt so very right and appropriate to have Mr. Oneyear on our city council- what with this being the choice of places to call home to so many retirees (not to mention all of the active-duty families living here as well.) He was a defender of our country, our community, and all that is good and right, and he won’t be forgotten here.

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