Ray Hickey House parking lot gets a free facelift
Company owner donates service as a labor of love for “house of angels”
After visiting his mother-in-law at PeaceHealth’s Ray Hickey Hospice House in 2016, Ronnie Ramsey noticed the area outside of the facility could use some attention.
As the owner of All-Seal, a company that specializes in the maintenance of parking lots and drives, Ronnie quickly recognized the opportunity to use his 40+ years of experience.
Soon thereafter, he resurfaced, sealed and restriped the Ray Hickey House parking area at no cost, using a sealant product—also provided for free—by Butch Gibbons of SealMaster in Portland, Oregon. The Ray Hickey House and All-Seal are located in Vancouver, Washington.
For both Ronnie and Butch, this was a meaningful way to give back to a community resource that has served and cared for members of their families.
“I am appreciative of everyone at the Ray Hickey House. The people are so amazing,” said Ronnie. He had a great relationship with his mother-in-law, Emma Van Metre. When she was in the Ray Hickey House, he would joke with her about his addiction to coffee and that her room was 234 steps from the coffee pot.
After Emma passed, he started referring to the hospice as the “house of angels,” he said. “The Ray Hickey House is one of the most special properties in this community.”
His connection with the facility goes even deeper considering that he first met the man behind the hospice 30-some years ago. “Ray Hickey was very inspirational to me,” noted Ronnie. “He was a sweetheart of a guy on many levels.”
While the hospice staff, patients and families appreciate All-Seal’s work, it’s Ronnie who feels blessed to be able to provide this service. “I believe that if you’re in a position to give, then you should.”
Doing the resurfacing work was a “spiritual experience for me. It’s such a blessing and the Ray Hickey House is second to none,” he said. That might explain why All-Seal has spruced up the parking area not just once, but twice in the last year. In 2017, the lot was restriped and in 2018, it got the full treatment.
As a solo operator, Ronnie loves the work and the process, especially when it’s done for a place that has meant so much in his family’s life.
“I think it was such a gift to be there, thinking of my mother-in-law during the project,” he said.
