Rest in Peace, Edward Rath March 3, 1956 to May 15, 2026
Sadly, a month after losing my dear friend Carol Lena, now I’m grieving the loss of you, Ed, who had been a good friend the last six years. I met you merely a week into my camping life when I first came upon the stunning beauty of Hopkins Prairie, after repeatedly getting lost and finally finding the campground down a two and a half mile dirt road in the middle of nowhere, full of ruts and old oaks and saw palmetto palm trees.
After picking my site and paying cash at the pay station and talking to the visiting forestry personnel doing surveys at the beginning of the campground, I remember knocking on your camper door, feeling so overwhelmed with the whole camping process. You were very kind and helpful, and over the next six years, no matter wherever else I camped I always felt like Hopkins Prairie was my home. You were like a brother to me. You made sure I was safe. You allowed me to pay by the day instead of the week, in case I had to make an unplanned getaway due to rowdy campers. You allowed me to camp longer than the fourteen-day limit if necessary. You helped me several times with my car problems, with bear issues, with the mouse living in my car, with tick problems, and finding me incandescent flashlights at thrift stores.
Your sweet dog Pearl was loved by everyone as she followed you lovingly around the campground on your rounds. You were so conscientious about your job, making sure people paid their fair share without making a big deal about weekend parties, which annoyed me but gave others a chance to have lots of fun. You’d notify all the campers whenever the many space shuttles were taking off in the distance, when the bats might be around for us to witness them swarming out of the bat house at sunset. You sure worked your butt off after those two hurricanes, spending hour upon hour cleaning up all that Spanish moss and those broken tree branches for weeks on end.
I wish you hadn’t suffered so much with numerous health issues and serious depression. I wish you could have been a little less concerned about all the depressing world affairs, a little less perfectionist about your job duties. I’m sorry I couldn’t have helped you more, but I tried my best to listen to your troubles, reassure you, offer advice about natural health stuff. I apologize for coming on so strong during our last phone conversation about trying iHeRQles. I just wanted you to feel better!
I’m so glad I got to know you, your dog Pearl and your cat Amber. I feel especially sad for your Dad, a veteran in his nineties, who always made me laugh when he called me Marge in Charge, because you allowed me to be backup camp host on your days off. It was a true honor to have had your utmost confidence in me. Rest in Peace, my friend, Ed.
Important note: If anyone looking at my website happens to feel hopeless or suicidal, please reach out for help. Call a friend, family member, counselor, or hotline!
