August 6

Beckey, Jamie and I left for Wynne, AR to attend Rickie Hill's funeral. Rick was the husband of Linda Sue Scrape Hill. We counted some 14 police cruisers with flashing lights (12 in front and 2 behind) escorting Rick's eartly farewell.
In retrospect, just who was Rickie Hill? He was born in 1948 and passed way on the 3rd of August,2008. I considered him a good friend.
I recall his grandmother, Aunt Dove Henderson Hill ,as part of our Walnut Grove, AR family. her husband Frank Hill was one of dad's (Joe Hinds) friends. Radie, Rickie's father, was born in 1925 and was good friends of my older brothers, George & John Hinds. Radie's brother, Raymond Hill is buried next to John & Shirley Hinds' grave at Harrisburg Memorial Park. Rickie's mother was Eloise McCarty Hill. She was a sister to my father-in-law, Woodrow McCarty, who married my wife's mother, Dorothy Neal Scrape McCarty.
Rickie was buried at Harrisburg Memorial Park and he was escorted there by a great host of friends and kin. His son, John (and wife, Lisa) and their children, Megan and Courtney, continue to live in Wynne, AR where John Hill is on the Police force as a detective.
I am grateful to Wynne mayor, Paul Nichols for introducing me to Blogspot. I met Paul last night at Rickie's visitation. He promised to say "hello" to a former colleague, James Billings. Paul is a former teacher and seems to truly care about his town and employees.
After the very kind treatment of the entire police force and the line of citizens throughout the town who stood respectfully as the processional passed, I can see why my kin love to live there. Wynne, Arkansas, thanks for a very memorial day in honor of our friend and kinsman, Rickie Hill...... O.Hinds