Eulogy by Lenny De Fina
Raymond …Cheech…Marisette…born on Fishers Island…Nov. 12, 1949…then settled in New Jersey…and who knew, once to be back here on the east end … the end… Montauk…I first met Cheech back in the late 90’s…he came into my restaurant and shouted out to me… “How you doin?”…in his New York /Brooklyn sort of slang… I asked him if I knew him from somewhere… his response was… “Forget about it…you know me now”…from that moment on we became friends…he passed my restaurant every day… several times a day… always smiling, happy…greeting people on the street weather he knew them or not…Cheech was that breath of fresh air everyone needed … he was a ray of sunshine…he was a happy man, always…who chose his lifestyle…I know a lot about Cheech’s background…Cheech was far from homeless…as the New York Post and Independent newspapers made it a point to express…that bothers me… Cheech had many choices where to hang his hat…the fact that they had to make it a point to say homeless was in poor taste… He chose doing what he wanted… his son Raymond wanted him to live back in New Jersey… Cheech wanted to stay here in Montauk… where he felt the love, and gave love- to not just a select bunch of people, but to everyone… I offered him to stay at my house many times… and so has many Montauk locals… his response to me was … “I’m good…don’t worry I’ll figure it out”….Cheech never asked for anything…he 
always paid his way here in Montauk… from my restaurant to the market….he was a great tipper and never had a bad word to say about anyone… and believe me…if you live here and know our small close-knit community… a lot could be said… conversation would never be silent… but Cheech….never a bad word about anyone. He kept it silent and was the best listener. I don’t think I ever heard him curse, when I would he would say. “Hey…take it easy.”…Cheech loved George Watson…Cheech was a good sport… he allowed the people he loved to throw out a joke here and there about him…I used to say he’s wearing out the pavement from walking from the Dock Restaurant to Lenny’s everyday… just bouncing back and forth… checking out the scene…when my daughter Dylan was born…he made a wooden sign…in which he made for almost every restaurant …carved out of wood…with hundreds of nail punctures…amazing… he spelt her name wrong…Dillon…as opposed to Dylan…I didn’t tell him. I accepted the sign as he gave it to me at my daughters christening…2 weeks later he came with a new one…realizing he made a mistake and was so sad he made the mistake…and was apologetic…he had a huge heart and was a man of respect…from local people to tourist, Cheech was a gentle soul who brought a smile to every and any face…my daughter knew him as Uncle Cheech…on the night before he passed…he came into the store… He was looking in the popcorn section…he was wearing a tennis shirt I gave him …he showed me proudly saying… “Hey I’m wearing your shirt”…we laughed…he brought a bag of Coney Island kettle popcorn to the register…I scanned it, told him it was $3.99… he asked me if they were special kernels …I said to him… “Cheech you only live once….it’s delicious”…he proceeded to buy it and I said good night….he said “See ya in the morning”…and I never did…next morning…I heard the police drive by the store…got in my car after a phone call from Norma…went to Gosman’s parking lot and saw the yellow tape….the reality hit me……Montauk lost a special person….we all should learn from Cheech…he was always happy…didn’t need a beach house, fancy car, jewelry…he had that all once before…he wanted the simple life…he chose it….he lived it….. And he was happy….. If anyone wants to contribute to buy a bench and have it put by the docks…engraved with his name… suggestions and donations would be great…..
