Elaine and Raymond Richmond

REMEMBERING RAYMOND

XXXX. –  September 18, 2019

I remember Ray as a kind and gentle person who I worked with in various settings over the years. The last time I saw him was when he and Elaine came through Singapore some ten or 15 years ago. We were catching up on what each of us was doing and I remember him talking about the work they were doing with people suffering from drug addiction. Regards,

          ~~  Dharma

I remember Ray’s quiet demeanor, calming in our little storms, plus his kindness. I join in the celebration in spirit.

          ~~   Sunny Walker

I always will remember some years ago when Raymond and Elaine contacted us out of the blue wanting to stop and visit, when so many don’t think of Tacoma as part of their travels. It was a wonderful experience seeing Ray and Elaine after so many years. I shall miss Raymond, as I have missed Elaine.

We are finding that when we meet friends from the Order, even after 25 years, it seems like NO years have passed. There is some kind of bond that is filled with so much context and experience that little time is spent trying to get “re-acquainted”.  More and more I find visits with friends refreshing my spirit, especially those from our ICA days. At least for me, our most wonderful trips have been where we’ve enjoyed such visits! And the idea of traveling becomes more centered around where friends are located. Personally, I’d like to see them before they (or we) are gone.  With affection,

      ~~   Del Morrill

It is with sadness, yet deep appreciation for a life well-lived, that Joe and I acknowledge the departing from us of Ray Richmond into the community of saints.  He and his first wife, Malina, were among the many Aussie pioneers who helped our staff to “pull off” the first ITI in Singapore in July/August of 1969.  He and his second wife, Elaine, accomplished amazing healing between the “first peoples” of Australia and the westerners who came later at great cost to the indigenous gifts and cultures of the native peoples. We celebrate the many gifts Ray’s life represented to local, regional, national and global colleagues, all of whom have been enriched by having encountered his passion and compassion. Grace, peace and love,

          ~~  Marilyn and Joe Crocker

Ray and Elaine were pillars of the ICA in Australia and globally, since the beginning.

         ~~   Robyn Hutchinson

We were blessed to have the opportunity to work closely with Ray and Elaine over many years – both passionate about caring for the lost & lonely. Jon Owen who is the current pastor at the Wayside Chapel has included a tribute to Ray’s work in the Wayside newsletter:

”  Ray was Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel from 1991 – 2004, prior to Reverend Graham Long. A kind and loving pioneer, he was instrumental in demanding change in the area of drug treatment in the ’90s, when Kings Cross was caught in the midst of a heroin boom. He was stirred to action by the countless lives lost from drug overdoses and established a safe injecting room known as ‘The Tolerance Room’ where drug users were allowed to safely inject. This was an act of civil disobedience that even saw Ray arrested, yet didn’t deter him from persevering with his vision. Reverend Ray Richmond’s actions, along with widespread support from our community, led to a change in state legislation and the subsequent approval and opening of the first medically supervised injecting centre (MSIC), which still stands today on Darlinghurst Rd. All of us at Wayside owe a debt of gratitude to Ray. He will be greatly missed.”  May he rest in peace

          ~~  John and Elaine Telford

As our country deals with the opioid crisis, I am reminded of the amazing pioneering work that Ray and Elaine did working with folks in similar circumstances at King’s Cross neighborhood of Australia.  As I recall, it was a bold ministry of the church to reach out in love to people dealing with an unpopular illness.   Thanks be to God for his vision, care and life of service among us.

          ~~   Lynda and John Cock

REMEMBERING ELAINE

To my family and colleagues in Australia and the United States of America.

Elaine and I set off from home to our Church at West End in Brisbane last Sunday afternoon and before we had gone 2 of 30 miles, I changed course for the local emergency hospital. Elaine was admitted and examined and within 45 minutes was in an ambulance headed for the Intensive Care Unit at Mater Hospital in Brisbane at 90 kph.  My daughter Sandra and I kept vigil by her side, talking with her on occasions between nurse and doctor attentions, and on Monday and Tuesday we sang her favourite song “The Rose”. Elaine died at 9:30pm Tuesday 21st September following a mostly conscious journey with pain management attended by her magnificent doctor specialists and nurses and the faith of a saint in adversity.

I have now returned home to an empty house and I know I will need help and seek it.  Sandra, Karen and some friends and I are planning a funeral/memorial probably for next Wednesday one week from today at the West End Uniting Church and intend to send her urn of ashes to her brother Raymond Goff in St. Paul MIN for a later placement with her parents graveyard in Cable Wisconsin. This was her wish.

I am blessed with wonderful family and friends and 33 years of companionship with Elaine; a woman of extraordinary accomplishments and the best Christian Theologian and servant in the Way of Jesus I have ever encountered.  A professional teacher and practitioner of Facilitation.

          ~~   Ray Richmond. Cleveland, Queensland, Australia

Dear Ray, Joe and I are deeply thankful that the global connections —  from you in Queensland, Australia to Sharon in Seattle, WA, to Jann in Linsay, CA, to the O:E colleague listserve — have allowed us to join with you and so many others in experiencing the shock at learning about Elaine’s sudden passing; then the decades-rich flood of memories of our lives with hers and yours; and after the deep sense of loss and grief, in time, the affirmation of her whole, full completed before the Mystery, as a promise of our own at our time of ending.

We treasure our earliest times with you and Malina in Singapore at the 1969 ITI, and then in the Sydney House in 1970-71.  We treasure our later times, as well with Elaine and Dick in Chicago, long after we knew you in Australia. Then what a wonderful mission you and Elaine launched and carried forth in Australia.  All of us who spent time in your wonderful homeland give thanks for that opportunity, and are grateful for those of you who have carried on being the church, on behalf of the innocent suffering, the marginalized, and the forgotten ones. We hold you very close, in our hearts (with great thanks) and certainly in our prayers for your peace and solace. With love and respect,

~~   Marilyn and Joe Crocker

What words can we use describe our journey of the past few years with our beloved(s)?  My heart goes out to you knowing the feeling of missing such a huge part of your life.  I recall saying to Fred over and over, “I know I can do well after you are gone, but I will miss you more than you imagine.”

I experienced some relief and release following Fred’s death.  His illness was long and intense.  He and Elaine are now beyond any suffering whether from actual pain or the struggle of being totally dependent on others for their care.  My healing candle is lit for you, Elaine, and your families and friends.

I am sooooo glad that you were able to be here for Mariko and Sam’s wedding.  And, how happy we were to see you in person after a few years had gone by.

          ~~   Nancy Lanphear

My heart is with you as you go down a path travelled by many of our colleagues and friends recently.  Thank you for sharing your and Elaine’s story much as Nancy shared the final hours of Fred’s journey.  These are precious, poignant moments to be recorded and remembered. I am so glad we were able to spend time with you at the time of Miko’s (Robertson) wedding in June.  Both of you gave your all to making that a wonderful event filled with rich stories and song, rituals and symbols. Blessings, and gratitude for Elaine’s wonder-filled life,

          ~~   Carol Crow