Thursday, June 24, 2021
Dear Ronnese and June...I hope this reaches you after so many years. My name is Ray Boeri. When your Dad became Manager of University Bowl in 1968 or so, he saw me practicing on the lanes one day and, seeing my dedication, began to take me under his wing and started teaching me much of what he had learned from "the big guys" when he and you both were still living in Detroit and he was bowling with some of the best of the best. Eventually, Ron was even more generous with me, and he began allowing me to come in and practice for free whenever I had the opportunity to do so...and in this way, he (perhaps knowingly) kept me off the streets and helped me stay sane as a young teenager attempting to survive within a broken home and no longer having a father figure that could comfort me. Ron stepped into that role for me, and because of his coaching and mentoring, I became one of South Florida's most decorated junior bowlers from 1969-1971, almost exclusively because of his attention and that of Ellis Pinder...may both eternally be at Peace. In fact, every time I would bowl and achieve a milestone, I'd always imagine that I was bowling so that I could make Ron proud of me. It was because of Ron's tutelage that I won the All-America Youth Bowling Championships in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1971.
Although you may not recall, I actually met both of you a number of times when you would pass by University Bowl and check in on how things were going for Ron at the lanes that day...because after all, it was Ron who introduced me to his wife and daughter! Ronnese, I've NEVER forgotten your name after almost 50 years! Your Dad loved you both so...
It makes my heart heavy to read (yesterday here, in fact) that Ron may have suffered greatly the last decade of his life, and that I was not there to give back to him with the generosity that he gave to me when we were both much younger men. Please know that Ron and you both will never, ever be forgotten for as long as I remain alive, and if you ever need to reach me, please do so at raymondlboeri@gmail. com. I send you all my most sincere prayers for tranquility and some equanimity in the times ahead. With my profoundest gratitude to Ron always...His student, Ray Boeri
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