Victim remembered at funeral service
By RODNEY MINOR, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
GLOVERSVILLE - Family and friends shared tears and memories as they gathered to say goodbye to homicide victim Raymond W. Pike Tuesday.
As those who came to pay their last respects filed in, they walked past a photo display of Pike and members of his family arranged in the Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home.
The body of Pike, 63, was found Friday morning on the FJ & G Rail Trail with multiple stab wounds.
Police charged Randy L. Green, 26, of Wilson Street, with second-degree murder. Green has pleaded innocent.
For Mike King Sr., 32, it is difficult to understand how someone he grew up with could have killed his uncle.
King said he and Green grew up in the same neighborhood and used to spend time together when they were younger.
"I don't hate [Green]. I'm just upset with him," King said. "How could he do this?"
Pike was a registered sex offender, arrested by Johnstown police in 1990 and later convicted of second-degree sodomy. He was sentenced to two to six years in state prison for the crime, which involved a 13-year-old male victim.
Pike's relatives have spoken out since his death, saying his status as a sex offender is no justification for murder.
Family members said it has been frustrating. Some people have insulted the family for sticking up for a dead relative.
King said it seems ridiculous people want to focus on the fact his uncle went to prison for being a sex offender when Pike spent most of his life helping people.
At the funeral, people who know Pike from a number of places he volunteered with - the Salvation Army, Prison Fellowship, Lexington bingo and soup kitchens - gave their condolences to the family.
By the time the Rev. R.W. Williams spoke, the room was filled with mourners.
Williams said while it was unfair for family members to lose anyone the way they did, remaining bitter over Pike's death would do them no good. He said they should ask God for the spirit of forgiveness and move on with their lives.
Peggy Adams, Pike's goddaughter and niece, told everyone her only regret was she did not spend more time with her uncle, whom she called "the greatest."
Adams, who spoke while Pike's body lay in a coffin behind her, said everyone should try and make more time for family, no matter how busy they are in life.
"You never know what will happen," she said.
Pike was born in Utica on May 9, 1945.
He previously had worked for Gloversville Transit and Coleco.
Rodney Minor covers Gloversville. He can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.
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RizziBear
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08-23-08 6:15 PM
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Iiieeeee!! Que Pervertidad! This town has more weirdos and perverts than Amsterdam! How groady!!
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LetThePartyBegin
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08-23-08 5:36 PM
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Amen Jr...
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Jr88fanNY
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08-23-08 10:29 AM
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Wow looks like perverts are being named or brought to light left and right... Kind of looks like this might turn into coming out of the closet for perverts thread. Personally I believe all sex offenders that are on the list for life should have PERVERT tattooed on their forehead in big red letters!
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teebzz
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08-23-08 12:17 AM
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some people just cant shut up.
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mchristman
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08-22-08 9:35 PM
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well shouldabeengone kmoore lets talk about the calling the kettle black. yes my nephew should have his throat cut also, and for your information i dont associate with him nor his family.learn to practice what you preach cause you need too look in your own back door before you speak nonsense on this site . get your facts right i know all about the situation i am very close to some of the family members affected by pikes death, and yes i did say as i quote"thats was not the way for the man to go but people have there own opinions" end quote. further more if you want me to air out some dirty laundry i can and im NOT affraid to do so, so as i said look in your own home before you look and judge others!
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RizziBear
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08-22-08 4:16 PM
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Seems pretty clear the Pike clan likes the attention. How macabre!
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shouldstayedgone
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08-22-08 6:53 AM
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For those that replied about my previous comment Im not commenting so much about those offering their opinion on the subject the article is specificly about. But I have been following along all these comments and I have seen on more then 1 occasion certain people using it as an opportunity to accuse other people not involved in this story of stuff and airing business that is not public. For instance -mchristman- who has already had a post removed for naming names and making false allegations about a situation he knows nothing about. Hes got a lot of gall to throw peoples names about when his own brothers son was the recent short blurb in the news for molesting 2 children on Judson st. By Christmans own definition of justice his relative should be murdered to. Just goes to prove how hypocritical many of these posters with nothing better to do are.
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itsabouttime
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08-21-08 9:32 PM
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also sweat thing yo daddy left yo momma when you were just awee lass to protect you from his sins he had nothing to do with you so why all the hoopla the guy that touches little boys should have been dead immediately after the event was proven boom one less pervert and believe me if any of the places that he volunteered for knew what he had done he would never have gotten within a country mile of those establishments
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m011ys
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08-21-08 9:00 PM
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I can not believe it's the next night after this article was printed and there is still alot of posts
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m011ys
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08-21-08 8:56 PM
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sits back and shakes head
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teebzz
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08-21-08 8:42 PM
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..and looks like the family here has no respect, as many thought in the begining.
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teebzz
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08-21-08 8:40 PM
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this has once again become a joke.. very sad
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oliviasmommy
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08-21-08 6:07 PM
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LMAO ohwhatnow
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ohwhatnow
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08-21-08 5:46 PM
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ADK... I can tell by your intellegent writing and posts that you must be the editor of the LH... is that your job?
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ADKWOLF
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08-21-08 5:36 PM
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just my thoughts maby thay should all move down to freemont s.t and join the block party's and as i stated in a previous post i did not agree with what green did 18 yrs after the fact the law should have done it then then so green or no one els would have the urge
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ADKWOLF
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08-21-08 5:32 PM
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LetThePartyBegin and her being a mommy dont mean squat .I am a single dad of 3 that live with me + I work 40 to 70 H.R a week and to ohwhatnow it was backed up oliviasmommyby "quot"(ADk...grow the*****up...Ed did his time )
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LetThePartyBegin
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08-21-08 3:48 PM
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oliviasmommy has one of the hardest jobs...being a mom and wife... but again, this forum is not about us, it is about a murder happening in our community.
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ADKWOLF
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08-21-08 3:28 PM
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sexual offender registry only goes from level 1 to 3 just becouse some ones name is not on thare that dose not mean nothing
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ADKWOLF
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08-21-08 3:25 PM
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aaahhhh but I work
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oliviasmommy
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08-21-08 2:50 PM
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Ty Ohwhat
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oliviasmommy
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08-21-08 2:49 PM
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Sry OhWhat but I would not marry Ed...He is a friend and furthermore...ADK who are u to judge me...U work at price chopper, furthermore this forum is not about us as citizens..its about murder!
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ohwhatnow
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08-21-08 2:43 PM
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I am so confused. I just checked the sexual offender registry and there are no Kings listed. I don't think anyone should be posting accusations unless they can back them up...ADKWOLF!
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LetThePartyBegin
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08-21-08 2:39 PM
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Sorry.. but Oliviasmommy is not Joanna King...
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ohwhatnow
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08-21-08 2:30 PM
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Just curious but after looking back in the posts isn't Eddie King your hubby oliviasmommy?
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teebzz
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08-21-08 2:28 PM
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on TV CSI the handsome,sharp dressed , witty-remarking cops and model-like, cleavage showing investigators get test results in 5 minutes!
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