It’s funny how two friends can live several years
without any contact, yet still remain in each other’s hearts for decades.
I’m speaking of my friend Randy, who Sylvia and I met in
Mrs. Moutz 7th grade English class at Beaumont Jr. High. The three of us (mostly me) were always in
trouble for talking and laughing in class.
During that school year, and
several more after, the three of us were inseparable.
Randy and I competed in a statewide drama duet
competition for Jessie Clark Jr. High.
He never broke character in our comedy routine. I was like Harvey Korman trying to keep a
straight face while Tim Conway ad-libbed through a skit on the Carol Burnett
show. For all of you young folks who
don’t get the last statement, imagine I’m Jimmy Fallon and Randy was
Christopher Walken demanding more cowbell.
Randy has always been very animated, musically gifted, and…well…hilarious.
After high school, Randy went to Cincinnati Bible
College and we didn’t see each other very often. However, when Jeff and I got engaged, I knew
that there was only one person I wanted to sing at our wedding: Randy
Marple. He could sing Prince’s falsetto
in the song Kiss and give everyone goose bumps with his deep bass in How Great
Thou Art.
Among other songs, I asked him to sing Ave Maria at our
wedding. If I live to be 100, I will
never forget that moment:
It was June 14, 1986 and it was hotter than Hades in
Central Christian Church. Jeff and I had
just exchanged rings and it was time to stare at each other blissfully while
Randy sang Ave Maria. Halfway through
the hymn, I hear a loud thud behind me and a collective gasp from the
congregation. I didn’t want to turn
around so I whispered to Jeff, “Was that the candelabra?” In a very subtle move, he looked over my
shoulder and whispered back to me, “No. It was your sister.” I turned around to see my dad carrying Gail,
my 18 year-old sister down the aisle.
Meanwhile, Randy kept singing. As I remember it, it was close to the end of
the song and I heard another thud. This time I turned around to see my niece
Emily, the junior bridesmaid, collapsed on the floor. Her uncle Steve scooped her up and carried
her out while we all wondered who was next.
With a long-sleeved-lacey- beaded- to- the-neck 80’s style gown, I was
sweating bullets. It was June! What was I
thinking wearing a dress like that? I
tried to keep my eyes on Randy, willing him the strength to make it through
what seemed like the longest song in history.
Wow. What a professional! He never missed a note. To this day, I can’t believe that we don’t
have the moment recorded on video tape.
We paid for the wedding ourselves and the cost of a $200 videographer at
the time wasn’t an option. I still hear
people say, “I will NEVER forget your wedding.”
Since Emily and Gail didn’t break any bones or suffer concussions, I can
now laugh at that comment.
Randy and me, June 14, 1986
Not long after the wedding singer incident, Randy became
a high school history teacher, married, and had two gorgeous children. He told me stories about his class and how he
would entertain and educate his students with music. Maybe I would have liked history if I had a
teacher like Randy.
Still, Randy hadn’t found his bliss….until a few years
ago. He opened a fitness center named
Temple Fitness in Morganfield, Ky and became a personal trainer. Just recently, during Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, he began a fundraiser for women who can’t afford
mammograms. I can’t help but think that
my diagnosis might have helped plant the seed in Randy’s big heart. The fundraiser is named Barbells for Boobs. J
This is from Randy’s Facebook page. I pray that many lives and boobs will be
saved!
One in Eight Women in the
United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. For every $80.00 that we
raise on Nov. 16, one woman who cannot afford to get screened for breast cancer
will be able to get screened. PLEASE HELP US save a pair of boobs! If you cannot participate in the workout,
please support one of the participants.
This event will take
place at Temple Fitness on November 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Everyone will pick a
partner or will be paired with a partner. Each participant will be performing
the Bear Complex, as many circuits as possible in 12 minutes. (Men-85 lbs.,
Women—55 lbs.) For each circuit your
partner completes, please donate $1.00. You do NOT have to be a Temple Fitness
member to participate.
To donate, just copy/paste the following link to your browser:
or
1. Go to barbellsforboobs.org
2. Click on "Join a Team Here"
3. Click on "All Results"
4. Type Randy Marple in the search box
5. Click on Donate
Randy and his son Reed
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