RAMOND LEONARD FRANCIS

Ramond Leonard Francis came into this world at 9:23pm on May 14, 1968. He was the first child and only son of Raymond and Janet Francis. Lovingly referred to as Ra'mond by his mother and "Mate" by his father, Ramond entered this realm two months before he was due and the story of his arrival beautifully predicted how his life would unfold. His mother Janet went into labour while she was indulging in one of her own enjoyments, cleaning house, which would later manifest in Ray's penchant for always presenting as clean and fresh as possible. His father Raymond raced the family to King Edward Memorial Hospital on his Triumph motorcycle, which would inevitably lead to Ramond's decidedly above average interest in anything with an engine. The script was being written even as Ramond was forcing his way into the world. Ramond was a premature baby, arriving with a birth weight of 3 pounds, 11 ounces and was 21 inches in length. His determination to overcome the rigors of a premature birth would later result in Reshay, Tre, and Rhylee coming into the world; a true legacy of love. Ramond would become known as "Ray" to the outside world. He was a skilled and productive citizen, a beloved son, father, partner, brother and friend. This is his story from the boy to the man. Ray attended West Pembroke Primary School from 1973 to 1980. His teachers described him as a capable child who enjoyed reading, demonstrated exceptional artistic ability, had beautiful penmanship, "the makings of a mathematician," a keen interest in music, and an aptitude for sports. His teachers, however, were sometimes challenged by what they described as Ray's playful, talkative and meddlesome nature, and his tendency to sometimes be lacking in tolerance. At age 10, his art teacher remarked that he had "the patience to produce perfection but not always the temperament." Such qualities were easily observed in Ray's later years. Replace talkative with straight talker (often with the most colorful language) and this was Ray: he did not suffer fools! But just as soon as he convinced you he was not to be messed with, if he loved you, he would make sure that you knew that he had your back. An early example of this was when Ray was 11 years old and his little sister Lauren (5), joined him at West Pembroke School. On Lauren's first day of school, Ray told her that she was not to speak to him in public as, naturally, he had a reputation to protect. But then demanded that she tell any kids who bullied her that they would have to answer to him. An enforcer with a heart of gold; that was Ray. Ray attended the Berkeley Institute from 1980 to 1984. He showed great promise in such subjects as history, technical drawing, English language, Spanish, biology, art, and health science. However, the playful, talkative, and meddlesome child from primary school wasn't so casually tolerated in high school. When Ray turned 16 years of age, Berkeley's Principal unreservedly requested that he not return for further schooling. Ray's unceremonious departure from the Berkeley Institute abruptly ended a family legacy of attendance that included his paternal and maternal family. Subsequently discovering that Ray is the great, great, great, great grandson of Samuel David Robinson, a prominent figure in the founding of the Berkeley Educational Society, was an interesting and ironic development indeed. However, Ray's parents were not amused. So unamused, in fact, that, upon returning home one afternoon, Ray found that his clothes had been packed in suitcases and, accompanying them, was an airplane ticket. Ray would depart the next day for a boarding school in Pittsfield, Maine, USA to complete his schooling. Ray attended Maine Central Institute (MCI) in 1984 and graduated in 1986. At MCI Ray excelled in basketball (one of his favorite sports) and track and field. He made friends from different places and different backgrounds and had many experiences that sharpened and toughened him. During a road trip to Boston, Ray and his friends travelled through a particular area of the United States where they were greeted by a white man with a shot gun and a liking for the n-word. After that man expressed his dismay at seeing blacks in the area, the group made a speedy exit. Ray's experiences at MCI naturally made him more independent and he matured in this environment. Throughout the years, Ray developed many talents and interests. Ray had a natural gift for drawing, which often merged with his love of animals, comic book heroes, and kung-fu movies. As a young boy, he spent countless hours perfecting the most amazing sketches depicting these themes with the application and focus that his teachers identified as being possible but elusive for them; he kept his best work for himself. Ray also loved music and amassed a sizable collection of vinyl records, cassette tapes and CDs. Alongside a rapidly growing love for electronics, the number of devices to play music on also multiplied. At home, hip hop and reggae blasted from Saturday to Sunday at the highest decibel possible. In addition, Ray assiduously practiced his self-taught DJ, scratching, rap, pop & lock and breakdance skills to the simultaneous wonderment of his little sister, and bewilderment of his parents. This passion for music would later evolve into a stint as a professional DJ at various gigs around the island; a job he recently considered returning to due to his lingering love of the craft. Unsurprisingly, Ray also had a passion for sports, especially football. As a youth, he played for Devonshire Colts. His parents were excited at the thought of him following in the footsteps of his father who, in his own youth, played for Pembroke Juniors under the Bermuda Football League, at a time when the leagues were segregated. In Ray's mind, he was the most talented player on the field, and he was hardworking. But he was a skinny boy with rapidly growing limbs who sometimes struggled during this period with growing pains and issues with balance and coordination. This, of course, did absolutely nothing to diminish his love for the sport, nor his belief that he was indeed "a baller". A former Boy Scout, Ray was very proud of his participation in the physically and mentally grueling Outward Bound Adventure training course for young people, which took place in Rhowniar, Wales. Despite calling his parents outraged and demanding that they come to collect him after he had been left to fend for himself for several days in the Wales countryside as part of a survival exercise, he was proud to have completed the course. After graduating from MCI and returning to Bermuda, Ray considered attending Campbell University of Arts & Sciences in North Carolina. Not yet convinced by academic study, he opted to stay in Bermuda and serve his 2-year conscription period with the Royal Bermuda Regiment. Whilst there, Ray was a recognized marksman earning distinctions in the discipline. Over the years, Ray was employed as a construction worker with D&J Construction and would later use the skills he picked up there to generously assist friends and family with major builds and renovations. He also worked for Butterfield and Vallis, for Filter Queen Bermuda, he was a Manager at Locals Restaurant, a member of the Holmes, William, and Purvey (HWP) service station family, and he worked as a bouncer and security guard at a number of establishments in Bermuda, picking up numerous friends and family along the way. Quickly developing a desire to work with his hands, Ray had earlier set about exploring a trade. His first bike was a Mobylette (which, naturally, he suped up), followed by a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. Eager to learn all that he could, he imposed upon himself a challenge to strip and rebuild his Kawasaki Ninja. Although the rebuild did not work out as planned, his interest was, nevertheless, firmly established. Of course, we already know this passion had been written in the stars many years prior. Ray's interest extended to cars, jets skis, and boats. He was well known for his Volkswagon Scirocco (which he dubbed, She Rock O), his outfitted Volkswagon Hardtop Golf, and his BMW sports car. Most recently, he was pondering the purchase of a boat. Ray's passion for mechanics and electronics eventually and seamlessly merged, and it comes as no surprise that he became a highly skilled and popular auto-electrician. He worked for several years at HWP, choosing this trade over an offer to work for the Bermuda Fire Service. Whilst there he was awarded numerous certifications after completing training courses in the Caribbean, Canada, South Korea, and the USA. Ray also worked at a number of garages around the island and was a union shop steward and fierce employee advocate (colourful language and all). At the time of his passing, he was employed as an Office Manager at Bermuda Custom Mechanical (BCM), where he was a beloved and respected member of the BCM family. Ray often joked that he did not have to get his hands dirty anymore, and that he gave instructions instead of taking them. However, in his free time he would often repair the vehicles of family and friends free of charge; he was always generous with his skills. Ray's ultimate love were his children, Reshay, Tre and Rhylee, who he adored more than life itself. Ray was an incredible father. He doted on his children equally and he loved them unconditionally. Although strict when necessary, he was caring and affectionate, fun loving and honest, silly at times, and, always, 100% his straight-talking self. He was excited to share a love of basketball with Reshay, to share a love of football, the same birthdate, and sense of style with Tre, and he begged Rhylee, his last baby and an avid sailor (for which he was immensely proud), to never grow up and leave him. Ray was proud of Reshay on her wedding day (even if not yet ready to let her go); he was thrilled to see Tre graduate from high school, remembering his own challenges with school; and he helped to ensure that Rhylee had the best sweet 16 birthday celebration possible, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. He and his children were close, he was a father, enforcer, confidante, friend and was soon to be a doting grandfather. Ray wanted to, and absolutely would have, given his children the world. Of all his accomplishments, he would often say that his children were his greatest. Ray was also a supportive figure in the lives of his children's siblings, his mates' children, his niece and the children of his partner, Richelle. Ray's life partner, best friend and arguably the best thing that happened in his life, second to his own children, is Richelle. The two shared so may commonalities that it is elementary that their love would span over a decade and into eternity. Few knew Ray to the degree that Richelle did, and even fewer possessed the calm that perfectly matched, and delicately balanced, his fire. They were good together, and they were good for each other. With their blended families, matching tattoos, and countless adventures, they travelled the world together, assisted each other to reach their separate goals, accomplished goals together, and were working on their future plans together. Ray loved Richelle, and Richelle loved Ray. Theirs is an everlasting love and friendship that not even death can sever. To Know Him To know Ray is to know he was a lover of all things electronic. He was tech savvy and had innovative ideas and abilities that, had he gone to MIT (as his parents once dreamed), could have rivaled those of Steve Jobs. To know Ray is to know that he loved looking good (which severely impacted his ability to get dressed in a timely fashion). To know Ray is to know he loved shopping (for himself and those he loved) which he likely inherited from his mother and which resulted in a somewhat unhealthy relationship with Amazon Prime. To know him is to know that he was extremely artistic, loved tattoos and designing tattoos (of which he had many). To know Ray is to know that he loved the water and fishing (which he likely inherited from his father- having spent countless boating and fishing trips on his dad's boat). To know him is to know that he loved animals (and was quite the animal know-it-all) and he was the proud father to an adorable pit-bull puppy that he named Diesel. To know him is to know he loved Manchester United… period. To know him is to know he was sharp witted, had an amazing sense of humour, and that he was strong, and tough, and brave. To know Ray is to know that his greatest loves were his children, his family; the family he was born into and was nurtured by, and the ones he created and nurtured. Ray's adventures as a youngster were shared by many, with whom he remained friends into adulthood. And he made many other friends along the way who have become his extended family. Family was important to Ray, and, if he considered you family, he had your back, unflinchingly. Just like the superheroes he used to draw so well as a child, tough and steely and, yes, imperfect, Ray was a good guy, a real one, and an actual hero to many. With so much to look forward to, and so many plans that he was actively bringing into existence, he will be an incredible miss to all who knew him, and loved him. One of Ray's own beautifully self-designed tattoos is of an angel with a pocket watch with the words, "time waits for no man". I think if Ray could share any words with us today, they would perhaps be something to the effect of; "Whatever plans you have, whatever dreams you have, whatever gifts you possess or purpose that you have identified for yourself, put your energy and effort into those things, do not delay, do not second guess it, make it happen. I love you and I will be with you still, every step of the way." ~We love you Ray. May you rest in peace and rise in power.