Friendship Memorial

Well, we knew it would be unless we really, really, really screwed something up. And it was successful.Going into our second year, we were less confident, but we still were quite hopeful. The people of this community did not disappoint.How the heck Jeff had so many people like him is just wild. The boy was just beloved!Now three years after his untimely passing, so many folks still love to honor his memory by playing a little golf and hanging around for a few hours.The great part about that is we are then able to raise a significant amount of money to donate to the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial.Jeff, of course, didn’t pass away while rushing into a burning home. Thankfully, most of our firemen don’t. Instead, it was a single-vehicle accident, which most likely was caused by a sudden heart attack.This is important not only when we remember Jeff, but also when we consider the other fellas we still have on the job.Firemen have a much higher incident rate of both heart attacks and cancer than does the general public. This makes donating to their memorial both relevant and important.Try to keep that in mind the next time you hear the sirens go out. Yes, we certainly wish them safety, especially in those moments.But we also have to remember their sacrifice continues when they are not on the job.As a committee intent on keeping the tradition of Jeff’s memorial alive, and hence continue to donate and help out those who we think Jeff would approve, we really need to thank people who made it possible.Jill Caldwell and her staff at the Paris Country Club did an outstanding job, managing an 18-hour event. We started at 6 a.m. and I don’t think finished until probably close to midnight.We didn’t finish until that late because we played golf in almost every hour of daylight and then, when the sun went down, we enjoyed some great local live music.The Ray Lewis Band and Rockin’ Randall French basically donated their time to this event. We didn’t ask them to do that, but because of their relationship to the man, they volunteered to do it.It may just have been m... (Paris Post Intelligencer)

Lash, 88, entered into the care of her Lord and Savior Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, surrounded by her daughters, in the comfort and peace of her home, following a long illness.Born in Rockland Oct. 21, 1928, she was the daughter of John A. and Lena Ulmer Stevens. Educated in local schools, she was a 1947 graduate of Rockland High School.On Aug. 9, 1947, she married Robert S. Lash Jr. in Rockland. Bob and Kay made their home in Friendship, where they raised their family.Kay was a longtime active member of the Friendship United Methodist Church.Besides her husband of 66 years who died in 2013, Kay was predeceased by two half-brothers, Arron Stevens and Robert Stevens Sr.She is survived by three daughters, Laurinda L. Cushman and her husband, Albert, Marilyn E. Lash, Celia L. Briggs and her husband, Chuck, all of Friendship; six grandchildren and their spouses, Jessica and Joshua Barrett of Island Pond, Vt., Cecily and Andrew Havener of Friendship, Christopher and Cayce Briggs of Newcastle, Laura and Jacob Oliver of Nobleboro, Matthew and Meghan Briggs of Cushing, Gwendolynn and Joshua Glidden of Friendship; and 14 great-grandchildren, as well as many extended family members.The family wishes to thank Hospice Home Health Care for the excellent care and attention given during the last 17 months, with a special debt of gratitude to Richard and Val.A graveside funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Old Village Cemetery, Friendship. The Rev. Robert Dorr and the Rev. Alan Chamberlin will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hospice Volunteer Auxiliary, 40 Anchor Drive, Rockport, ME 04856.Arrangements are with Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, Rockland. To share a memory or story with the Lash family, visit their online Book of Memories at bchfh.com. (Courier-Gazette & Camden Herald (subscription))