The following remarks were delivered at a memorial service held for Bud Rue, on October 30, 1993 at 2:00 PM in Milanville, Pennsylvania.

Creating a decent habitat for everyone

By DALE ROSENBERG

Today, when I say "Bud," you should take it to mean "Bud and Ann," and when I say "I," you should take it to mean "Peg and Dale." There will be a higher percentage of Bud and Dale, and so shall I speak. But, Ann and Peg shared in all that I shall talk about. What we shared, primarily, was one of Bud's pet projects.

Bud has left us an enduring legacy, the full impact of which will continue to unfold. I am privileged to have had a part of the work building that legacy. I am blessed to have worked with my friend.

Four years ago, I encountered that big, imposing, bearded man for the first time in a meeting with the Human Resources Council in the Wayne County Court House. Bud was making it possible for those most actively involved with the government agencies who deal with people and their problems to get acquainted with Habitat for Humanity, a housing ministry for people which works outside the government. Aside from the Habitat Volunteer, who came to bring us the message, I can remember only one other person, Marie Myers, besides Bud who was present. We three and a few more were present at the next meeting, and the next, and the next..... At that time, if ten (or a hundred) Wayne Countians were asked if they would like to help Habitat for Humanity, the likely reply from all but a few would be "Who's that?" Today, only a few would not know who you were talking about.

When we were faced with the daunting tasks associated with raising funds, Bud always said, "We should be building houses. Others should be raising money so that we can." Bud, that day is approaching! This week, we talked with employees of Wayne Memorial Hospital. With no required effort on our part, a benefit basketball game, pitting physicians against staff, will be played at Wayne highlands High School on November 6, 1993. The proceeds will be given to Habitat for Humanity of Wayne County. We have been invited to participate by collecting money at the door, selling refreshments and our Habitat t-shirts to raise more funds, or whatever. Bud, it has come. Your dream that Habitat would have local recognition and respect has come true.

Bud died for Habitat and other projects which he loved. But, more important, he lived for them. In the more than four years that we have been friends, we rarely (I rather think never) had a conversation that did not involve Habitat to some degree.

Bud Rue and I learned some bits of practical philosophy from Habitat leaders whom we encountered over the years. We often quoted two of these to each other. Bud's favorite when he pondered what course of action to take in uncharted territory was, "Do what makes sense." The other, when someone apologized for not being able to do more for Habitat (or whatever), was, "We do what we can."

Ted Kennedy spoke at the funeral of his brother, Bobby. He said that there are those who look at the world, see things as they are, and ask "Why?" But, his brother looked and saw things as they might be and asked, "Why not?" Bud Rue asked, "Why not?"

Ann, along with you and others who loved him, we will miss him terribly, but we thank God that are counted among his friends.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF WAYNE COUNTY