GOOD-BYE RONNIE

This picture is so Ronnie. Two pens in his pocket, cell phone (with the antenna up) in his pocket, suspenders, plaid shirt, blue jeans, & always a hat! A slight grin & a twinkle in his eye.

He was buried in a pink plaid shirt, blue jeans, red suspenders, with the pens & cell phone in his pocket and his new Stetson straw hat on his chest. A bottle of Mountain Dew was also there!!! Ronnie was never without his Mountain Dew.

Ronnie Carroll Seeley

January 29, 1943 - June 15, 2010

Age 67

Preceded in death by

Wife - Billie Janette "Jane" Seeley

Parents - Kenneth & Nina Bowman Seeley

Survivors:

Sons

Kenneth Wayne (Laura) Seeley
William Carroll (Dianne) Seeley

Joseph Brian (Amber Gibbs) Seeley

Brother

James Kenneth Seeley

Brother-In-Laws

Jerry Joyce

Mickey Joyce

Thirteen Grandchildren
One Great-Grandchild

Pallbearers:

Joe Seeley - Wayne Seeley - Billy Seeley - Jim Carroll

G.K. Seeley - Will Seeley - Jake Seeley - Fran Gonzales

We got one of those totally unexpected phone calls at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, June 16th. Our beloved brother-in-law had died the night before of a massive heart attack. We had lost Mickey's sister, and his wife, Jane, January 26. 2006.just 3 days before her 63rd birthday. His son, Billy, told us he would call all three sons each and every morning to tell them to have a good day and lately he'd been talking even more about how much he missed their Mama, his Janie.

There is nothing like a funeral in the South. Southerners still know how to give honor and respect to their friends. Ronnie's burial exemplifies this so well. On Saturday, from 2 pm to 8 pm, the family greeted visitors by the hundreds who came to pay their respect. The same thing occurred on Sunday from noon to 3 pm with the service beginning at 3 pm.

The first song was sung by 2nd son, Billy. The first speakers were Presley Seeley, daughter of the oldest son, Wayne, and then Wayne spoke. The second song was "I Can Only Imagine" sung by a close family friend. The second speaker was the 2nd son, Billy. The third song "I Believe" was sung by a man & woman duet. The 3rd speaker was the oldest grandson, G.K., son of Wayne. G.K. also read a poem Ronnie's only brother, Jimmy, had written titled "Together". The 4th speaker was the youngest son, Billy. The last speakers were brother-in-law, Jerry Joyce, and a family friend, Mike Sheley.

The comments from each speaker were so moving, telling the kind of father, grandfather, brother, man and friend Ronnie Seeley was. But they were also mixed with so many of the funny sayings Ronnie was known for and his funny antics which brought chuckles amidst our many tears.

The service was officiated by Dr. Eric Taylor, Baptist Pastor of the Seeley family.
Flowers - The center top shelf is the one from The Mickey Joyce Family.

The Long Horn display is from the sons & wives

The Whip below is from the grandchildren


Flowers - at the grave site

The burial was in Adams, Tennessee in the Seeley plot.

The hearst took the coffin from the funeral home in Springfield, Tennessee to about a mile from the cemetery where this wagon, with a team of horses and two drivers were waiting.
Pall bearers moving the casket from the wagon at the grave site. Facing from left to right, Grandson's Will, & G.K. & youngest son, Joe. With their backs left to right, Second son, Billy, Brother, Jimmy & oldest son, Wayne.

Pall bearers placing their rose boutonnieres onto the casket casing. Left to right, Grandsons: Fran Gonzales, Will Seeley, Jake Seeley & G.K. Seeley. Fran is not really a grandson but was treated as one and considered as one by Ronnie.

My beloved Mickey shoveling some dirt onto the coffin.


The bag piper who played "Amazing Grace"

The police man at the stop lights were standing at attention with their hands over their hearts. ALL the traffic pulled over to the side of the road as the L-O-N-G procession of automobiles followed the hearst.

Two other special things that were done: 1) Wayne Seeley owns a trucking firm and unbeknown to him 6 of his drivers pulled their Bar SS semi trucks along one spot in the road and honked their horns as we went by. 2) Another friend of Wayne, who is a pilot, flew his small plane up, down and around the procession as they approached Adams & the cemetery.