From my local paper…

[Bkeepr]

A good tribute someone wrote for a local guy:

“Reflecting on J.R. Ramsburg Jr.

I met J.R. Ramsburg Jr. at Village Lanes when I was about 8 years old. My mom and dad started bowling on a team when “Village” opened. Initially, my dad bowled for Ralph Brown on the Jefferson Trading Post team, but was recruited by J.R. to bowl with him on a team sponsored by Harold’s, a candy and tobacco store in downtown Frederick.
After a few years, J.R. took over sponsorship of the team with Frederick Underwriters Inc., his family insurance agency, which had served Frederick since 1933.
J.R. died on Sept. 11. His obituary highlighted his caring and giving in the Frederick community, mentioning his personal involvement, his generosity and charitable contributions to many local nonprofit organizations.
Not known to many, but behind the scenes at Frederick Underwriters, he donated the equivalent of his sales commission back to every church and volunteer fire company insured by the agency, thousands of dollars each year.
He would often buy boxes of ham sandwiches sold by local churches and distribute them to his employees.
He and Dewey Jordan teamed up to purchase a building for one of his favorite charities — I believe it was Community Living — to provide the organization with a home.
J.R. often said: “The Lord loves a cheerful giver.” J.R.’s love for farming extended into his love of the Great Frederick Fair. He served many years on the fair board of managers with several of his closest friends, especially Jim Grimes and Clyde Crum.
J.R.’s main responsibility on the board was overseeing the livestock areas and barns and working closely with the 4-H members, another organization he supported.
He was always an active bidder at the Thursday night animal auction. He would normally purchase several animals, especially beef cattle, spending thousands of dollars to support 4-H youths.
As was his nature, he would give away most of the meat.
He also served a term as the president of the Great Frederick Fair, a lifetime achievement he treasured.
Though the obituary mentioned many of his favorite activities, there was no mention of his passion for duckpin bowling.
My dad started bowling with J.R. in the early 1960s, when Village Lanes opened. At age 16, I moved up from the youth league to become a Frederick Underwriters team member. J.R.’s sponsorship wasn’t simply providing a bowling shirt with the corporate name on the back. He paid all expenses, allowing every team member to bowl every week. Whether you bowled on his team at Village Lanes or at Mt. Airy Lanes in the Tuesday late league, you never paid for your bowling. My dad and I bowled nearly 40 years for J.R. It is hard to imagine how much money J.R. paid for us to be a part of his bowling family. J.R. wanted me to be a part of his corporate family, as well. He offered me a job with Frederick Underwriters one evening in between frames of bowling.
At the time, I was a fire/rescue communications dispatcher for Montgomery County and told him I know nothing about insurance. He told me that was a good thing, as I didn’t have any bad habits. No need to worry, he said — he would teach me everything I needed to know.
He was aware I knew a lot of people in Frederick and am a people person. He encouraged me to try it for six months, allowing me to return to the fire department if it didn’t work out. I remained with Frederick Underwriters for almost 20 years before returning to serve in a fire service capacity with Frederick County until my retirement in 2017.
Not only did J.R. give me a great career opportunity I didn’t anticipate, he, his wife Norma and son Ray became a part of my extended family.
J.R. was the benevolent dictator of sorts, overseeing a multi-million-dollar business, but sharing his financial success with his employees, his friends and his community, especially several of his beloved nonprofit organizations.
And though he was the CEO of a multi-million- dollar corporation, he was down to earth and made friends with every walk of life.
He no doubt lives the life eternal, but his heart will always be a part of Frederick.
Clarence “Chip” Jewell is a Frederick County native who retired from Frederick County Fire & Rescue in 2017, but worked 20 years for J.R. Ramsburg Jr. ”

[PHPaul]

Sounds like a good guy! They're out there, I just haven't run into many of them.