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They Love Raymond

Elizabeth Gabriel

(Updated: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 6:42 PM)

When Jacqui and Fred "Buster" Nichelmann and their daughter, Jenni, wave from the grand marshal's car in the April 18 Raymond Parade, they'll be waving to friends and relatives along a road they know well.

They'll also join the list of family members who have done the same thing, among them Fred's father and Jacqui's uncle on the Calhoun side.

Her people -- Appelings and Calhouns -- arrived in the area in the 1860s. Fred's grandfather didn't come along until the 1920s, but with Fred, the family business -- ranching -- is at the third generation on the same spread. One of their offspring, a son, lives just 500 feet from the home place, other children live in Ahwahnee and Mariposa and Jenni lives at home.

Raymond seems to be like that. People once planted in the rolling hills dotted with oaks tend to stay.

"If I didn't live here, I'd like to move here," Fred said.

They estimate they know about half the people who live in the community. Jacqui said it's hard not to know that many people and their grandparents and their grandchildren, too. Her daughter's husband's aunt with to school with her mom.

"It's like a family here," she said.

Fred agreed. "There are good people here, we have special friendships and the life is slow-paced."

Over the years the Nichelmanns have been deeply involved in Raymond matters. She was on the school board for 17 years and with Mountain Hope, an organization that works for special needs adults in the Mountain Area. Fred did some logging and served in the Army.

Avid RVers, they are planning a trip to the coast in a few weeks and can depend on their kids to take care of the place. One of their favorite spots is Death Valley, where they meet up with about a dozen friends and enjoy the scenery.

"We find something new just about every time we go," Fred said.

He hopes to have is 1931 Model A Ford pickup in shape for the parade. "He got a battery, that's a start," said Jacqui. Fred and his father bought the classic about 25 to 30 years ago.

They said there are very few parades they've missed an think this will be a good one. Jenni is looking forward to the parade, too, and demonstrated how she's been practicing her Queen Elizabeth wrist wave.