Ready-Mix Shows the PAX How to Leave Right

Preamble:

YHC’s eulogy of Ready-Mix, our beloved fallen brother. Spoken against a backdrop of ten shovel flags, amidst the TAPs of F3Nation, to the gathered and grieving PAX of The Hooch, broader Alpha, Gwinnett, Atlanta, and Anderson SC:

Welcome to The Hooch everyone. Thank you for coming today. This is a special day and a special Beatdown where we get to honor one of our fallen brothers, Ready-Mix – AKA Stewart Evans.

Ready-Mix lost his life in a sudden ski accident while doing something he loved most: spending time with his family and friends.

For those of you who did not know him personally, Ready-Mix was one of a kind! A pillar in our community, his church, F3 and his business. A real Man’s man, an accelerating man – always looking to grow and get better. Most importantly, he led his family well and was a great friend to many of us here today! He EH’d a few of us into this very group, including me, and he always showed up ready to serve and lead. Many of us would not be here today without his leadership.

We always looked up to Ready Mix as an example of a true leader and an amazing HIM! Please join me in a Moment of Silence.

Warm-O-Rama:

The massive herd of PAX moseyed around the parking lot before forming the largest circle of PAX The Hooch AO has ever hosted.

As one voice bellowed cadence, one hundred voices boomed a resounding response that echoed beyond the confines of Ready-Mix’s home AO and into the surrounding community he loved so well. Each voice, thundering in the ethereal chorus, paid tribute to the one whose voice has fallen silent, never again to join his brothers’ in the gloom, but also never to be forgotten.

• SSH
• Weed Picker
• Merkins
• Squats
• Toy Solider (a Ready-Mix favorite)

The Thang:

Thang 1

YHC modified The Gauntlet beatdown that Ready-Mix captained on numerous occasions into a Dora-esque partner workout:

• Partner up
• Dora-style:
  • 150 Diamond Merkins
  • 150 Big Boy Sit-ups
  • 120 Mike Tysons
  • Partner A: cumulative reps. Partner B: mosey lap. Switch off until finished.
• Moseying PAX huffed and puffed around the parking lot while greeting seldom-seen friends from distant AOs, sharing remembrances of Ready-Mix, and simply trying to holding it together.
• Mary for the Six

Thang 2

Mosey to the dining establishment whose bizarre revolving door of crab-themed restaurants often prompted from Ready-Mix a dubious projection of the tenure of the latest restaurateur’s adventure; followed of course by his obligatory tongue-in-cheek assessment that apparently Johns Creek diners don’t want to catch crabs.

• 4 corners, defined by The Crab Spot – Regal Cinemas – old Hurricanes (new bakery) – the flags
• At respective corners: 10x V-ups – 10x Freddy Mercury – 10x Dying Cock Roach – 10x Crunchy Frogs
• Mosey between corners, with continued greetings and remembrances along the way.
• At the flags, finish out with Burpees, AmHam and Plank for the Six.

COT:

The PAX circled up for Count-o-rama. Name-o-rama took nearly eight minutes, as one hundred and one men stated their home AO/Region, Hospital Name, Age, and F3 Name.

Finally, with one departed HIM unable to speak for himself, YHC concluded the ceremony:

“The Hooch. Stewart Evans. 50. Ready-Mix.”

To which the mournful PAX of The Hooch, broader Alpha, Gwinnett, Atlanta, and Anderson SC esteemed:

“RESPECT.“

Naked-Man Moleskin:

Name-o-Rama featured an astounding twenty-two Home AOs across four Regions, evidence of the wide-ranging, highly impactful mark that Ready-Mix made on the men around him.

In the Slack chatter the days prior, during a Saturday evening impromptu gathering of stunned Hooch PAX, during the morning’s COT, and during the coffeeteria afterwards, the PAX shared story after story of the incredibly admirable character, integrity, faith, and personality of their friend Ready-Mix, AKA Stewart Evans.

Stewart was a husband to Mary Lynn and a father to Perry, Louise and Meredith. In the coming days, weeks, months, and years, this precious family will need to draw upon the strength of the men who Stewart so readily poured into during his life.

Stewart was a servant leader, an elder at his church, a discipler, an encourager, a friend to the lonely, a humble and gentle source of wisdom and guidance to those he mentored, and a frequent picker-upper of the 6. In his memory, we must pay forward the compassion and intentionality that Stewart so excellently modeled for so many of us.

Stewart was a jokester, a lover of R.E.M. and Foo Fighters, a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, and an expert in commercial concrete. We must honor Stewart’s wishes and never make the mistake of confusing concrete with cement!

Most importantly, Stewart was a follower of Christ. Friends, our brother is now united with his Savior. The man who demonstrated a life wholly dependent upon the only One who can save is not only saved but also healed from all pain and fear, and rejoicing in all joy and peace. And by all likelihood, knowing Ready-Mix, he is already Q-ing beatdowns of the Saints complete with burpee broad jumps and man-makers.

Stewart’s legacy of virtuous leadership lives on in his family, friends, church, business, and the men of F3 Nation. He modeled for us all how to Leave Right. May we follow the example of our fallen brother, a true HIM, Stewart Evans, Ready-Mix.

Respect.