The ‘Irreplaceable’ Mr. Raynard Drew — “The Heart of the Community With The Community in His Heart”
Oftentimes when a person dies or transitions, people say ‘we loss someone… we will miss someone, we will never forget them, etc.’ But sometimes when a person dies, we know that their life is irreplaceable. So it is with our Dear Brother, Mentor, Leader, Friend, Mr. Raynard Drew.
First to his wife and children, we are praying for your strength and wisdom during this time. We know you will miss him the most.
How do you describe Raynard Drew? He was known by many for being constant in helping others. I’ve seen him go out of his way on numerous occasions and this was his trademark. The thing mostly understood was that if you had Drew on the Crew, you knew the job was going to get done. No, he did not have to lead the crew, but you knew he was a leader on the crew.
Many tasks were initiated and completed by Drew. Sometimes he would charge a nominal fee but so often you would see him volunteering to be sure that a good work was accomplished.
During the pandemic alone, Drew served thousands of people with our USDA REDI (Rural Economic Development Innovation) program from THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas. I call this work the work of ‘Faith—First Responders’. No, it’s not currently regarded as work in this category, but Drew is being inked today in history as one of the greatest Faith First Responders in the history of Dumas. Drew was always about helping people.
Pictured here among other family photos, Drew is attending a meeting with our architect, Dr. Mark Peterson, Ed Levy, Linda Rogers Annette Cowen, as we all strategize and plan for a better Dumas/Desha/Arkansas with a new college campus at the Legacy Center. Drew believed in visions and dreams. He will for sure have a special place at the center in salute of his legacy.
More than any elected official in Dumas, Drew was out and about serving the great people of Dumas. His heart was pure and so was his love for community. My last feed on social media has so many people sending tributes of love regarding Mr. Drew and to his family. My sister, Linda Hunt Rogers had this to say:
“WOW!!! There are so many, many things that I can say about DREW!! Now, mind you, I said this to him. He was such a loving and giving person. He had the true love of God in his heart. Almost anything we needed him to do, he did. If there was anything that he could. He volunteered always. He was there when you didn't expect him to be there. Always had a smile. He was playful in spirit. He always had advice to give in getting the work done. He looked out for people that were not able to come out for services rendered, to make sure he was helping someone in need. He knew we loved and respected him for his wisdom. He participated in group meetings with REDI. He was honest and a blessing to so many. He was one of God's servants. Yes, we are really going to miss Bro. DREW. RIL. Gone to be with God, and never forgotten.”
Here’s my final word today with a question/riddle. What did Mr. Raynard Draw? The answer is many things. He drew pictures of love, unity, improvement, FAMILY. But rest assured as his life will testify for years to come… whatever Raynard ‘DREW’… It is ‘Irreplaceable.’
My prayer is that we can take this model of a man, Mr. Raynard Drew and build a better city for tomorrow… TODAY. Let us continue to pray for his family and keep his spirit of compassion alive.
Rest in Love… Well Done… Man of God and city of Dumas FAITHFUL SERVANT.
