Ray Pool’s long ride is over

For The Madera Tribune

Pioneer Ray Pool is shown here in one of his vineyards. When the longtime Madera farmer passed away, he was 95.

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Ray and Kenny were great friends — for life! They were in the same grade, and they were the only two kids who rode horses every day to Arcola School. They would watch out for each other. If one fell off the horse, the other would be there to help him remount. Usually it was Kenny helping Ray.

They were real buddies and pals. Sometimes one would spend the night at the other one’s house, and when that happened they chose the barn for their bedroom. There they would play games, toss manure at each other, and then wash off in the horse trough. These were the idyllic days of youth, which passed all too quickly.

Both lads graduated from the 8th grade together at Arcola and then went on to Madera High. Their friendship held fast through the years. By the time they graduated from high school, Pearl Harbor was not far off, and in a short time the two buddies bid each other farewell and went off to become part of the “Greatest Generation” who saved the nation for the rest of us.