Calvin and Faye Ramsey on their 50th wedding anniversary


      The lives of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Lafayette Ramsey have demonstrated true faith and faithfulness.
      In 1929, when Calvin Ramsey was four years of age, the Great Depression hit the United States, and his father, thankful for work to support his family, took jobs in South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, and finally back in South Carolina as a loom fixer in a textile mill. When Calvin was five, he lost his father due to injuries received from an accident on the job. While he had helped move a beam, the load had become too heavy for the men, and the beam had fallen on him.
      Calvin’s mother was left alone to rear two small children and to work to provide for them. His brother, born in 1922, had a mental disability, which was worsened by polio he was struck with at the age of five. The polio also affected his speech and made him legally blind. Despite all of the sorrow and hardship Calvin Ramsey’s mother faced, this sweet Christian lady reared two of the most polite and respectful men I have ever known. 
      At the age of 17, Calvin felt the responsibility to join the military and fight for his country. With his mother’s consent, he enlisted in the Navy. He was on board the Destroyer Escort 104 Breeman, heading out to sea, when he received a telegram informing him that his mother, who had become ill with leukemia, had passed away. The Navy graciously allowed Seaman Ramsey to leave the ship, return home to make funeral arrangements, and find someone to look after his brother. Although he could have applied for a hardship discharge, he faithfully returned to active duty to complete his commitment to the Navy. His grandmother had lovingly agreed to care for his brother while he was gone. At the end of his enlistment, he returned home to help relieve his elderly grandmother of the responsibility. 
      In 1951, before the Korean Conflict, Ramsey again felt the responsibility to defend his country. This time, he enlisted in the Army, and was stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. 
      He married Hilda Faye Ashley on April 2, 1955. After returning home from their honeymoon, he fully expected to return to Fort Jackson, but was told that he had been released from the Army and assigned to the Air Force because of his past experience in the Navy. Who can boast of serving his country in the Navy, Army, and Air Force? 
      Sergeant Ramsey reported to Wolters Air Force Base in Mineral Wells, Texas. After serving several months, he was sent on a special assignment to an air base in Alabama. While returning to Wolters Air Force Base after the assignment, he and his wife of five months nearly met death face to face on September 11, 1955. Shortly after midnight, on a road near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a drunk driver crossed into their lane. Sgt. Ramsey moved over on the grassy shoulder of the road as far as he could, but it was not far enough. With the crash, the front seat broke, and Sgt. Ramsey was pushed to the back seat with the car engine on him. Mrs. Ramsey, who had gotten into the back seat to take a nap, was pushed into the trunk.
      First to come upon the wreck was a couple who had been to a banquet for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Even though they knew it was against the law in Alabama to move a victim, they wanted to do everything possible to save Sgt. Ramsey’s life. They managed to get him into the back seat of their car, and the lady held him in her arms on the way to the hospital. The nurses at the hospital said that her dress was completely soaked with blood. Many thanks to this loving, compassionate, caring, and wise couple, whom the Ramseys never knew. 
      Mrs. Ramsey was not found until the car caught fire and others, who had gathered at the scene, began to remove their belongings. By this time, the tow truck was ready to take the car away. Mrs. Ramsey, who was unconscious, was taken to the hospital. Her back was broken in several places, her kidneys were damaged, and she had a concussion. 
      The Red Cross was called to locate and notify the families. The telegram read: ‘Wife severely injured, but probably will survive. Husband critical, doubtful he will live through the night.’ 
      Mrs. Ramsey was in a body cast for six and a half months. 
      Faithful to the task God has given her, she has prayed for many years that the Lord would allow her to outlive her beloved husband and to give her daily strength to be able to care for him. She is in tremendous pain most of the time, and is sometimes not able to get out of bed. 
      She has had five surgeries, each of which has been several hours long. Her back is now completely fused, and she is unable to bend over, even to put on her shoes. Today, she says, “I know now, if I do not outlive Ramsey,” as she affectionately calls him, “the Lord will take care of him.” 
      Sgt. Ramsey was cut and bruised, had extensive brain damage, and was comatose for three months. The doctors told Mrs. Ramsey that it was a ‘sin’ for her to pray that this man would live, because he would never ‘know anything.’ She boldly told the doctors, “You don’t know what you are talking about.” 
      Sgt. Ramsey was moved to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, where he stayed for five months. It was determined that he needed more care than Maxwell was able to give, and he was moved to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. 
      Although still in critical condition after receiving excellent care, the doctors saw very little improvement. After all of those months, Ramsey could only lie on a padded floor and try to crawl. 
      It was determined that, due to his mental and physical conditions, he was unfit to return to active duty. Arrangements were made at Glen Springs, Maryland for his medical discharge. Mrs. Ramsey was appointed to represent her husband at the hearing. He was given 90% disability. Mrs. Ramsey was displeased and filed a rebuttal, and asked for a military attorney to represent her husband. At the second hearing, a month later, he was given ‘100% disability--mentally and physically--totally and permanently.’ 
      He was at Walter Reed for a year and was then transferred to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, nearer their home, for another year. 
      Mrs. Ramsey was then told that her husband would be transferred to a domiciliary home in Johnson City, Tennessee. She boldly told them, “That will never happen. I am going to take him home with me.” 
      The Veterans Administration insisted that he was a ward of the government and that they would make the decisions. They insisted that she would not be able to care for him properly at home, and assured her that the decision could not be changed. She contacted Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn, who agreed to help her and was successful. 
      Sgt. Ramsey could only stand on his tip toes with his right foot. His heel would not lay flat on the floor, and he would hold his left hand above his head. The doctors said that this was mental, so they strapped his hand to his side to try to restore a correct thought pattern. 
      Mrs. Ramsey worked for five years and hired someone to stay with him during the day. She would go home to feed him his lunch and to make sure he was all right. She also had to bathe and dress him every day. 
      Mrs. Ramsey was advised about a doctor at Duke University hospital in Durham, North Carolina who might be able to help her husband. Surgery was performed on Sgt. Ramsey’s right foot, so that he could put his heel flat on the floor. 
      The day the cast was taken off was a tense day, but, when Mrs. Ramsey saw the doctor smiling as he came toward her, she knew that her prayers and the prayers of many others had been answered. 
      He was at Duke University hospital, off and on, for a year, and was discharged in January, 1961. 
      Mrs. Ramsey had parallel bars put up in their yard, and she walked him every day until he was too tired to walk another step. 


              
                                        Rusty and Tara Ramsey


      Their son, Russell Ashley ‘Rusty’ Ramsey, says, “Dad never seemed to get a break. My Dad’s entire life has been marred with loss, pain, and hardship. His faith and trust in God has been his anchor. Even to this very day, he is completely paralyzed on his right side. If his right leg slips off the bed at night, he cannot get it back on the bed. Dad was always right-handed, but, since the accident, has had to do everything with his left hand. He took speech therapy for three years, but, when something happens to my car now, Dad can sit and tell me how to fix it. 
      “What a man of faith. He has never complained or said one harm word against the drunk driver and has never had a grudge against him. My Mom and Dad never received one penny from him. The man was a repeat offender for drunk driving. He lived in a ‘dry’ county and was returning home from where he had been drinking since 4:00 p.m. The judge told my Mom that he did not even provide food for his family. My parents never heard a word from this man. 
      “When I touch my Dad, it is hard to believe, with his medical history, that I am really touching my Dad. God is so good, and we are very thankful He chose to give Dad back to us. 
      “My Dad has always done more than enough to help as much as he could. I remember seeing him, with his crutches, picking up every pine cone in our yard. I have also seen him take hand clippers and cut the grass as far as he could reach with his left hand, then move his chair again and again. 
      “Once, the pipes froze in their house, and, while they were at church, it warmed up, and water was leaking inside their house. My Dad went to the water meter to cut off the water and had to lie flat in the snow, with his Sunday suit on, to turn off the water.” 
      Mr. Ramsey has had several more operations on the femur due to odestmalitis, which is almost always incurable. He was sent to Nashville, Tennessee to have his left leg amputated. He can only drag his right leg when he uses his walker. 
      In all, Mr. Ramsey has had 22 operations and has never been negative or complained about the outcome of any of them. Everyone knows what a strong constitution he has and how amazingly pleasant and encouraging he is to everybody he sees. 
      Mr. Ramsey’s faith stands firmly on the Word of God. His gentle, submissive spirit and his love for his Savior and his faith that his Lord knows what is best has been his anchor. He loves company, and, when you do visit, you know, without a doubt, that you are loved and appreciated. 
      Mr. Ramsey says, “If it is painful, there is a lesson to be learned. If it is happiness, it is God’s love.” 
      Their son continues, “To know my Dad is to love him. At the age of 29, my Dad gave his life to the Lord and his ring finger to my Mom. My Dad would probably still be in that domiciliary home without my Mom’s strength and determination to be faithful to her marriage covenant - ‘in sickness or in health, till death do us part.’ She has loved and fought for my Dad’s best, every step of the way. Thank you, Mom.” 
      Does God prepare us ahead of time for what we will face? Shortly before Sgt. Ramsey was ordered to go on the special assignment in 1955, he was studying in the book of Job, to teach his Royal Ambassadors boys at Calvary Baptist Church in Mineral Wells, Texas. He and his wife discussed Job’s discomfort, and Mrs. Ramsey asked her husband, “What would you do if some tragedy would happen to us?” He readily replied, ‘I would embrace God and walk through it with Him.’ 
      Mr. Ramsey is at every church service he is able to attend. He has worked in a local prison ministry and lives his testimony every day. 
      His brother had to be put in Whitten Village in Clinton, South Carolina. The Ramseys went to visit him almost every week, and also brought him to their home for a week at Christmas and sometimes up to a month in the summer. His brother passed away a year ago. 
      Mr. Ramsey’s life is a witness to all who know him. He is truly thankful for life. 
      This tragedy has shown the world God’s sufficiency, love, provision, strength, healing, and sustaining power, and has shown to all who have known the Ramseys true faith and faithfulness in action in these two godly and surrendered Christians. 
      I have been friends with this dear couple for more than 40 years. What a blessing the Lord has bestowed on me to allow our paths to cross all these years, and a promise of spending eternity with them. 
      ‘What a day that will be’ when they are made whole again without any pain. 
      Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. I John 3:1a. 
      Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Ramsey may be contacted at 224 Elliott Street, Greenwood, SC 29649-1913.