Dear Mr. Willie Roach,
Your time with us on earth is up. I hope you enjoyed your ride.
We didn’t get to spend a lot of time together, but from the time we did, I can tell you this: your family loved you. Yes sir, they loved them some “Stuff.” That’s what everybody called you.
Now I ain’t gonna lie, it took me a minute to catch on to that. Folks would come up to me and say, “Kenny, you dating Stuff daughter?”
I’d be like, “No, I’m dating Brenda and Willie’s daughter. Y’all tryna get me in trouble out here?!”
And they’d say, “Man you so silly, Willie Roach is Stuff.”
And I’d say, “Sho, nuff?!”
But I caught on.
And once I did, I really came to appreciate you.
I appreciate the conversations we had. Talking about old baseball games in Ridgeway. You telling me how you knew my dad. Sharing stories about folks I knew, and breaking down who’s related to who… to the point where I walked away thinking everybody in Ridgeway gotta be family somehow. EVERYBODY.
I especially enjoyed the family get-togethers. Holidays, the Tucker family Christmas auction, Thanksgiving game nights… all of it. Just a good time and you right there in the middle of it wearing that baseball cap and that jacket.
I remember one game night in particular, we were playing Family Feud. I was real glad we ended up on the same team, because I already knew… we wasn’t losing. I don’t know nobody that watches more Family Feud than you.
And I’m definitely gonna miss hearing you call Vontrae, hitting her with that, “Hey, boo!” in that voice of yours. I don’t even know why, but that thing would have me tickled every single time.
Well, Chief… as you go ’round third base one last time and head on home, just know this:
There’s a whole lot of people in the stands cheering for you.
Sisters, brothers, cousins, nephews, nieces… family, friends… and four very special people who are gonna miss you the most. Your wife, Mrs. Brenda. Your daughters, Nekkia and Vontrae. And them grandbabies, Destiny and Jy’ston.
Y’all gonna miss him. Ain’t no way around that.
Feel everything you need to feel. And more than anything, stick together.
Because when the phone calls slow down… when the visits ain’t as frequent… that’s when it matters most. Lean on each other. That’s where the strength is going to come from.
I know it don’t feel good and there are no words that can fix it. But God knows how you feel, and He promised to stay close to the brokenhearted.
Hold on to that. Keep your trust in Him.
So go on now, Stuff.
Run on home.
And when you get there… if they ask you who you are…
Just tell ’em your name is Willie Roach.
Kenny Robertson, an educator and comedian, is a native of Ridgeway.