Friday, Dec. 7 was National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to honor our men and women who gave so much to serve our country.
It was also at St. Aloysius Church on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, that Great Neck honored a third generation Great Neck resident Raymond Plakstis, Jr.
Like the men and women at Pearl Harbor, Raymond, while not at Pearl Harbor, served the Great Neck community. Some of you will have read in recent newspapers, but many of you will never know about his many, many good untold deeds.
So I was greatly saddened after the services while following the funeral procession through Great Neck twice I saw my life being taken by inconsiderate, rude, impatient drivers who cut across, honking their horns, even rude finger gestures.
The heavy police escort and flashing lights made no difference to them. Maybe that few seconds they had to wait they could have realized how good it was to be alive instead of being so angry at being inconvenienced for a few minutes.
Ray might not have been George H.W. Bush but Ray’s funeral procession deserved the same respect as the former president.
I would like to say shame on you, but Ray would have said, “Jean forget it; it is as it is.”
A part of our old Great Neck has left us in his passing. He leaves us his two sons, Tyler and Ryan, his wife Donna to continue.
Maybe each year on Dec. 7 we have a day of goodwill, consideration and patience when driving in our villages of Great Neck, let someone pass, give a smile and a wave, remember one day you will be in a funeral procession.
Jean Pierce
Great Neck
