It was a pleasure being his pastor for many years and to be associated with many of his family. We've walked a number of roads together. He will be missed by his family and many friends.

Fred R. Skaggs

I've literally known Mr. Agee my whole life.  He called me "Bruiser" when I was little.  I'll miss him as much as I do my uncles.  My only solace is that I know my dad will be so happy to see him.

Rest well Mr. Agee, no one deserves it more.

Brenda, I did not get the opportunity to speak at today's Memorial Service, which is probably good, as I likely would have been crying and prompting everyone in that huge crowd to begin bawling.  But I thought I would give you the highlights of what I had planned to say, hoping my remembrances will help comfort you:

Bernard and I hit it off right away and have been good, close friends ever since my family moved to Meadowview in 1959.  We did not see each other in person as often as we would like, but we were BFF's long before that term was invented.

We had so much in common we could always talk for hours:
We both loved to laugh, and he was such a funny guy.
We both loved sports.  He taught me how to properly hit a basketball with a broomstick and introduced me to coed tackle football under the Highland Springs water tower.
We both loved Chevrolet's.  We had our driver's licenses, and both of my parents had '55 Chevies and Bernard's family had a '56 Chevy.  We would debate the merits for hours at a time.
We both loved pizza, and Bernard knew the distance to every pizza place in Richmond to a tenth of a mile.
We both had rather crazy Dads and wonderful mother's that spent much of their time keeping us and our Dads on a straight and narrow path.
We both loved burgers.
Later we both developed a love for Myrtle Beach, where Hamburger Joe served Bernard's favorite burger and where we sometimes met on Bernard and Brenda's frequent trips down.
We also developed a love for NC Eastern BBQ, and we both felt the best came from Smithfield BBQ.
We both shared a love for VA Tech and the Redskins and relished seeing them beat UVA and Dallas, respectively, and we spoke often on the phone during football and basketball season.

Bernard ushered at Diane's and my wedding, and I have always regretted missing his marriage to Brenda due to multiple final exams that day.  Diane also loved Bernard and Brenda from the first time she met them.

I had planned to tell the story about Bernard staying over at our house with me for a week during the family's annual trip to GA to see my mother's family. You have certainly heard the story of their unexpected arrival home a day early to a scene that included a towering beer can pyramid on the kitchen table and pizza boxes everywhere!  Diane had convinced me that the reference to the beer cans would render this story inappropriate in a Baptist Church!!

So, instead I was going to tell the story of my crazy Dad, who also knew of Bernard's favorite meal, stopping at his house while he was mowing the lawn and asking him if he wanted to go for a pizza.  Bernard could never turn down a pizza and replied he was almost finished with the yard and he would be happy to go if my Dad could wait for him to take a quick shower.  Bernard then asked where he was going, and he answered "New York!" Bernard, of course, declined a pizza for probably the first, last, and only time!!

We often shared that story and others when we reminisced about the good ol' days.

Bernard was a great guy and friend, and I miss him already, and I know it will be even worse beginning in the fall when we are not able to discuss the Hokies and the 'Skins.

Brenda, you obviously have many friends  and relatives nearby, but if there is ever anything we can do for you please never hesitate to call.  

Love, Ray and Diane