It was standing-room only at the Army National Guard building in Dade City, as police officers in dress uniform and members of the community turned out to honor the life of the community’s Police Chief Raymond E. Velboom, who passed away on Oct. 27.
Velboom’s death, at age 67, followed a lengthy battle with throat cancer.
The celebration of Velboom’s life began with the solemn presentation of the colors by members of the Pasco County Sheriff’s color guard.
The audience stood as the color guard marched to the front stage, placing an American flag on one side of the podium, and a flag for the State of Florida on the other side.
The celebration took on a different tone, when “I’ll Fly Away” — one of Velboom’s favorite songs — was played in his honor.
The uplifting, jazzy rendition by the Blind Boys of Alabama, had members in the audience clapping and waving white handkerchiefs in the air.
Those attending the service had a chance to learn more about Velboom’s life.
He was born in Clearwater on Jan. 15, 1951, to Ralph and Ethel Velboom.
His dream of becoming a police office began in his childhood, and after graduating from Clearwater High School in 1969, he enrolled at Florida State University and earned a degree in criminal justice.
He worked as a probation and parole office, before joining the Orlando Police Department.
He became a special agent for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 1980, and in this position, he worked as part of the governor’s protective detail and also as an intelligence supervisor.
He married Julie Scott in 1995, a longtime friend he initially met in Orlando.
“Everybody that he met, he treated with respect, expected it back and got it,” his wife said, while fighting back tears.
She talked about her husband trying to lighten the mood by having her turn on Howard Stern’s radio show, while the couple was on the way to Moffitt Cancer Center.
While she wasn’t a big fan of the show, she said her husband found Stern funny and thought he was a great interviewer. So, she turned it on for his sake.
The couple had lived in South Tampa until around a decade ago.
Velboom had retired from FDLE in 2007, but just a year later — in March 2008 — he accepted the role as chief of the Dade City Police Department.
“The main thing I wanted to talk to you about today was how much Ray loved his community,” said Julie.
Sometimes he would call her and say he was on his way home, and then he would spend the next hour driving around.
Sometimes he would stop to talk to people, at random, including the homeless. He also was known for playing cards with everyday folks.
To explain her husband’s commitment and work ethic, she quoted the lyrics from “It’s My Job,” by Jimmy Buffett, one of the chief’s favorite singers.
“It’s my job to be different from the rest, to be better than the best,” those lyrics say.
Father Dewey Brown of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dade City described Velboom’s dedication to work as “the Ray way.”
When he talked to Velboom, Brown said, the chief emphasized his concern about the need to bridge the gap between the community and the police.
Velboom, Brown said, was a “peace officer” and “he lived out that love for every other person he came in contact with.”
As the cancer progressed, Velboom was forced to have his voice box removed in the spring, but even though he couldn’t talk, he remained optimistic.
He would assure family and friends that he was OK, by giving a thumbs-up or a fist in the air.
His wife affirmed: “While he may have lost his ability to speak, he never lost his big heart.”
And, as she stepped off the stage, the audience applauded, and raised their thumbs in the air.
Published November 21, 2018