Memorial Service

A memorial service for my brother Steve -- Stephen M. Rea, 55, who died in his sleep in his Goochland home on July 8 -- was held at Gum Spring United Methodist Church on Wednesday, July 20.

At four and five years old Steve had a special power that was amazingly reliable: He could predict whether it was going to rain with an eerie precision. Many a time neighbors would come over to the back fence to check with Steve if they were planning a picnic, a day at the beach, and so forth. He was flawless in predicting whether it would rain the same day. No one spoke as he scanned the sky. What was he seeing or smelling?

Steve would squint his eyes, and sigh, then he'd say "yes" or "no." Steve was never wrong. By the time he was about six he had outgrown his knack and couldn't remember how he did it.

Steve was a U.S. Navy veteran and died as a faithful friend of Bill's. The photograph above shows Steve with his partner in their costumes (circa 1956) for Miss Fry's dancing review at the Mosque.