By Sarah Culton

sarah.culton@leaderpub.com

 

For more than 40 years, Cleo Baltimore sat outside Billy Joe’s Bar-B-Q and waved the cars as they passed by.

However, now lovers of the barbeque restaurant at 2029 Magnolia Ave. in Port Neches, are preparing to wave a last goodbye to Baltimore.

The long-time employee of the Port Neches restaurant died Sept. 11, after a long battle with cancer, leaving employees and customers alike saddened by his absence.

“It’s tough coming to work without him here,” said owner of Billy Joe’s Garry Richards, who has known Baltimore since he was 15 years old. “He had a lot of friends here. He will be greatly missed.”

Baltimore began working at Billy Joe’s not long after the barbeque joint opened in 1973. The 74-year-old carved out a place for himself in the community by sitting on the porch of the restaurant every day at 7 a.m. to wave and greet the morning drivers.

“He didn’t have to come in to work so early, but he did it so he could wave to the cars out front,” Richards said. “It started out as just something to do, but as he started meeting people and seeing that it made a difference, he was out there every morning.”

Eventually, Baltimore became known in the community for his daily ritual, and would have regulars stop by just to talk to him, Richards said.

“[Baltimore] may not have known who he was waving at by name,” Richards said. “But he always knew the made and model of their vehicle and would know about what time they would be coming by.”

Richards said he and his family have been taking Baltimore’s death particularly hard, as they treated him as a member of the family, inviting him over for family meals and having play a significant role in the lives of Richards’ children.

“It’s hard to get used to being without him,” Richards said. “We feel like we have lost a family member, rather than just another employee. He was loved by everyone, including us.”

Since Baltimore’s death, Richards and his family have seen the impact Baltimore left on Port Neches, as every day, concerned residents pop into the restaurant and inquire about Baltimore and when his funeral service will be.

“He was just a very caring person,” Richards said. “If you made time to stop and talk with him, he made time to stop and talk with you.”

To remember Baltimore, Richards has placed the chair Baltimore sat in every morning to wave at passersby in front of Billy Joe’s with Baltimore’s old uniform draped over the chair. Since it has been placed there, visitors have left flowers and other memorabilia at the site in remembrance of Baltimore.

“It’s touching to see that,” Richards said of the flowers left on the memorial chair.

Baltimore’s funeral will be Saturday. As a final tribute to Baltimore, Richards has invited the public to wave one final goodbye to Baltimore as his funeral procession passes the restaurant between 1 and 1:30 p.m.

“We hope to have some of our long-time customers who knew Cleo to be here at Billy Joe’s or somewhere on Magnolia waving at him, as one last good-bye,” Richards said. “I think it would be fitting for him, because he spent all those years doing it. It would also be a way for everyone to pay their respects.”