Messages from Ed's Beloved Wife Raquel ("Raqui") From 2019-2020

May 18, 2020 Below are some additional photos from the MOWW Chapter CA-186 luncheon that was held in January.  These were taken by Gayle Worley.

May 9, 2020 A Tribute to Ted, Fred and Ed, on the occasion of Ed's Birthday Dear Family and Friends, On the coming occasion of Ed's birthday on May 9, 2020, I am sending a TRIBUTE to:                       TED, FRED AND ED          THREE MEN I WILL NEVER FORGET!          CREATORS, INNOVATORS & ENTREPRENEURS          LOVING, CARING and TRUE AND LOYAL PARTNERS                    In INTERCANE PACIFIC LTD.                    with my brother, PAUL RAMIREZ                  and their widows, Joy Tilby and Audrey Rajic and me          who together forged lasting friendships and will keep in our                   MINDS AND HEARTS FOREVER. I am sending as attachments their obituaries and photos of them together with other Board Members and Amb. Ed Bobinski I am also including the Poem; WE REMEMBER THEM which was read at Ed's CELEBRATION OF LIFE at ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY on June 28, 2013. With Love and Prayers, Raqui [NOTE:  Please click here for Raqui's Tribute page.] To the Greenblatt Family: Dear Sister Sue, WHAT A TOUCHING MESSAGE TO ED ON HIS BIRTHDAY, MAY 9, 2020. I know he is watching from above and taking care of all of us. I do miss him so much too but I know he will always be with me. I am sending to all my family and friends. Love and thanks for your beautiful photograph and special flower, The WHITE CAMELIA, Raqui❤. . . . Dearest Ed, Have a happy birthday!  Thank you so much for watching, guarding and protecting us always. We miss you a lot and think about you everyday. Love always Dick, Sue and Family

Shizuko Greenblatt   White Camellia Series, Photograph

March 7, 2020 Ed's Seventh Year Anniversary Dear Family and Friends, On this day, Ed's 7th Anniversary, I wrote this poem to honor him and it won Second place in the Scott Rubenstein Poetry Contest sponsored by the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor in Feb. 2020 and will be published in the Spring issue of "THE QUAN." I am sending it as an attachment together with a photo of Ed and John Boone when they received the Distinguished Service Cross from Gen Douglas MacArthur on June 13, 1945 amidst the rubble of Manila.                                                   MEMOIR ADAPTATION:                  In memory of my husband, Col. Edwin P. Ramsey, 26th Cavalry PS FROM: Dr. Raquel R. Ramsey, widow Email address: raquiramsey1946@gmail.com                                                                           THE TRUE MEANING OF COURAGE It was all devastation before you But an orchid came in your view You knew that life would not be the same If you did not survive because of the pain The pain and suffering you could see From your comrades who stood by your side Fighting by day and by night, You continued onward, and endured Always hoping that it would turn out right You fought with all your might Overcoming the sickness and the uncertainty Of being caught and killed What was your destiny? You loved your sister and your Mom And knew that one day it would come That you won’t see them anymore Because you were at death’s door However, you struggled on To fight for the rights of the people and country That you learned to love Filipinos and Americans side by side Fighting for what is RIGHT! You said in your letter to Mom and Nadine “I refuse to surrender and will continue to fight Until the end, either of my life or the war” For we needed to achieve Victory Against the tyranny and oppression of the enemy For the sake of Freedom and Democracy I chose the song, "THE MORNING AFTER" by Maureen McGovern which won the Academy Award in 1972 from the movie, "POSEIDON ADVENTURE." it expresses the hopefulness that Ed and the Filipino and American Forces had about the dawning of a new day and looking forward to winning the war which is the sentiment in my poem, "THE TRUE MEANING OF COURAGE." as a tribute to Ed and his comrades in World War II. This song was sang by my student, Rose Bolster from the University of Santo Tomas, when Ed and I would watch her show at the Manila Garden Hotel. It carries a lot of memories of Ed and me.

THE MORNING AFTER There's got to be a Morning after If we can hold on to the night We have a chance to find the sunshine Let's keep on looking for the light Oh, can't you see the Morning after? It's waiting right outside the storm Why don't we cross the bridge together And find a place that's safe and warm? It's not too late, we should be giving Only with LOVE can we climb It's not too late, not while we're Living Let's put our hands out in time There's got to be a Morning after We're moving closer to the shore I know we'll be there by tomorrow And we'll escape the darkness We won't be searching anymore There's got to be a Morning After There's got to be a Morning After

So, my dear ones let us always be hopeful in our lives, as Ed and his comrades fought onward, and NEVER SURRENDERED! Thank you for the love and support you gave me at the most difficult time of my life. Love and prayers, Raqui

February 5, 2020 The upcoming film about Ed's sister Nadine Ramsey was recently announced in the INM's January issue of Across the World with Awee Abayari.  Click below for a closer look.

January 22, 2020 Raqui was a guest speaker at January's luncheon meeting of the MOWW, Chapter CA-186.

Raqui explains the poster about Ed's story at the Luncheon meeting of the MOWW at the Billingsley Restaurant on Jan 22, 2020

Col. Dave Worley presents a Certificate to Raqui for her discussion about Col. Ramsey's life and military career during WWII in the Philippines

January 21, 2020 Raqui is a guest speaker at January's luncheon meeting of the MOWW, Chapter CA-186.

December 16, 2019 Raqui's annual Christmas letter may be downloaded here. Also, a book about World War II heroes called Valor of Many Stripes: Remarkable Americans in World War II has been written by Scott Baron and mentions Ed along with several photos.  It is currently available on Amazon.

December 2, 2019 This is a link to the film Comrades in Arms by Aperture Films where I was interviewed and is now shown at the visitor center of the American Cemetary in Manila.  They interviewed me two years ago at home.

July 22, 2019 The International Reporter noted Ed's Remembrance on May 9, 2019 and the Never Surrender screening at the Laemelle Royal Theater in Los Angeles on May 8, sponsored by the Collins and Katz YMCA.  Click to download.

June 28, 2019 Dear Family and Friends, On this Day, June 28, 2013, My LOVE went away, it was hard for me to say; "Goodbye" one more time and as I received the Flag and the Symbol that it carries, for he was my HERO and the Nation's too! So now I am left with only his memory and his constant prayer of Raqui "BE BRAVE" The song "YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE" conveys that sentiment so well and makes me feel strong again! YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE by Rodgers and Hammerstein from the Musical "CAROUSEL" When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don't be afraid of the dark At the end of a storm There's a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain though your dreams be tossed and blown Walk on, Walk on With hope in your heart And You'll never walk alone You'll Never Walk Alone Thanks my dear family for being there with me through all these years walking beside me and giving me LOVE and STRENGTH. I am so grateful to have you All in my Life! Ed smiles from above! I am sending as attachments a photo of Ed's Burial in Arlington then, and his tombstone now. Love and prayers, Raqui

May 9, 2019 Happy Birthday, Ed!  Dear Family and Friends, Death Leaves a Heartache No One can Heal But Love leaves a Memory No One can Steal! So here's to the Memories of Ed and Me in Hawaii... Also the view from our balcony at the Hale Koa Hotel in 2004. I am also sending as an attachment a poem   "I Heard your Voice in the Wind Today" sent to me by my dear nephews, Daniel and Amy which carries the feelings I have inside as I remember Ed and miss him so dearly... I chose the song " SMILE" composed by Charlie Chaplin in 1936; John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons added the lyrics in 1954. as I know Ed wants me to be happy and carry onward as I continue my journey and SMILE rather than CRY for him.                             SMILE Smile though your heart is aching Smile even though it's breaking When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by If you smile through your fear and sorrow Smile and maybe tomorrow You'll see the sun come shinning through for you Light up your face with gladness Hide every trace of sadness Although a tear may be ever so near That's the time you must keep on trying Smile, What's the use of crying? You'll find that life is still worthwhile If You Just SMILE.❤ We will be remembering Ed with a screening of "NEVER SURRENDER: THE ED RAMSEY STORY" on the eve of his birthday, May 8, 2019 at the Laemmele Royal Theater in Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, CA at 4:00-6:30 PM. There will be a reception and a Q & A after the showing. Here is the flyer and invitation to the event sponsored by the Collins and Katz YMCA. All my love and thanks for being such a loving and supportive family, Raqui

I Heard Your Voice in the Wind Today I heard your voice in the wind today and I turned to see your face; The warmth of the wind caressed me as I stood silently in place. I felt your touch in the sun today as its warmth filled the sky; I closed my eyes for your embrace and my spirit soared high. I saw your eyes in the window pane as I watched the falling rain; It seemed as each raindrop fell it quietly said your name. I held you close in my heart today it made me feel complete; You may have died...but you are not gone you will always be a part of me. As long as the sun shines... the wind blows... the rain falls You will live on inside of me forever for that is all my heart knows. - Unknown

March 7, 2019 Ed's Sixth Year Anniversary Dear Family & Friends, You are Gone but Never far away from me You remain in my Thoughts and in my Heart. You are Gone but the orchids bloom for Thee, all six plants in my home and one from Hawaii from Mel and Paula Levy. Just like in your story in "Lt. Ramsey's War" You saw life amidst the fear of death. "It was an orchid, depending from a limb just a few feet away beyond my reach. It was the only living thing amid the desolation of the place and its petals pulsed seductively in the air; this vision seemed to restore me." I look at the orchids daily and I know you are alive, and ever so close to me; and my sadness leaves me, I feel refreshed and ready to face another day without YOU! Since I saw you in my dreams. this song from Michael Bublue' fits so well.          CLOSE YOUR EYES Close your eyes Let me tell you the reasons why Think You're one of a kind Here's to you the one that I suppose is true Do what you got to do You're one of a kind Thank God you're mine You're an Angel dressed in armor You're the fair in every fight You're my life and my safe harbor Where the sun sets every night And if my love is blind I don't want to see the light It's your beauty that betrays you Your smile gives you away "Cause you're made of strength an mercy And my soul is yours to save And when this much is true When my world was dark and blue I know the only one who rescued me was you Close your eyes Let me tell you all the reasons why You're never going to have to cry Because you're one of a kind Yeah here's to you That one that always pulls us through You always do what you got to do babe Because you're one of a kind When your luck was down in me I know I'm finally free So I tell you gratefully Yes You'll be in my heart is yours to keep Close your eyes..... refrain You're the reason why I'm breathing With a little look my way You're the reason that I'm feeling It's finally safe to stay. We stayed 34 years wonderful years together! So I send you photos from our special time in those years. Our New Year's Day in Honolulu at the Army Museum in front of the painting of the Last Cavalry Charge with curator, Pierre Moulin in 2011, and the installation of his plaque at the Mount Soledad Memorial Foundation in La Joya, CA. in 2006. So many Memories... Thank you for standing by me in those difficult days and today as I continue my journey in life without him. Love and prayers, Raqui

Also, Victor Verano of the PSHS has posted a video of Ed recalling how the last cavalry charge in US history came about.  The video may be viewed here.