The article in the News-Press seemed to focus on his work ethic.
That's part of the picture, for sure, but the main thing (to me,
anyway) was how Jay never complained about anything, even though his
physical health was deteriorating. He just kept going and going, like
the Energizer bunny. For the record, Jay had Endstage Renal Disease.
I know because I had a relative suffering from this as well, and Jay
and I used to discuss it.
For four years, at least, Jay's son took him three times each week
to dialysis at 4:30 a.m. so that Jay could wrap up his treatment and
be back in time to open his store by 10. Jay was the oldest patient
in his dialysis unit and the oldest merchant running a business in
Montrose. Imagine doing both of these things when most people 20
years younger who receive dialysis don't even work, let alone work
full time at 87 years old.
As a younger man, Jay was a dynamo in Montrose, serving on city
commissions, the shopping park board, running a successful business
and finding anything his fellow merchants in town needed. On Honolulu
Day, they needed Hawaiian Stick Dancers. Jay found a troupe of them
in Las Vegas. On Halloween, they needed photos of the kids. Jay came
through again, photographing children in their costumes for hours.
When other merchants were ailing, Jay swept their storefronts for
them every day until they were back on their feet.
Many years ago, there was a shopping park board member who
perpetually bragged about the mileage he received in his car during
board meetings. What he never knew (and only a few of us did) was
that Jay was adding gasoline to his tank. Later, when Jay stopped
adding the gas, the same merchant complained about his mileage going
down.
Most of all, Jay was a very kind, decent and honest man. He set a
great example for young and old in our community to keep going, no
matter what difficulties life offers up.
Jay loved his wife and spoke about her all the time. My family and
I send our condolences to Mrs. Drayman and the rest of Jay's family.
He will be missed.
LARRY NORQUIST
Montrose
Regulation applies to industry, why not rent?
I disagree with Mr. Ray Galloway's assumption that rent control is
bad for the city, for several reasons.
First, every industry in the U.S. has some kind of control, so why
shouldn't home renting (which is a business) be controlled and
regulated? I am sure Mr. Galloway wouldn't like the stock market
unregulated, where he could lose his investments. I am sure gun
