They Still Call Me Buddy is the warm and witty memoir of Dr. Raymond DeBates Jr. — a self-described "regular guy" from Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, who looks back at 70 years of family, food, friendship, marriage, and a life lived with more joy than he ever planned for. From the immigrant stories of his Belgian and Ukrainian grandparents to his own winding path through roughly thirty jobs, heart surgery, and raising a family, Ray tells his story not in chronological order but in the chapters that meant the most to him. At the heart of it all is his beloved wife Dorothy, his two sons, four grandchildren, and a community he never quite managed to leave behind. Written for his family and future generations, this is a book about ordinary life lived extraordinarily well — full of laughter, loyalty, and the small moments that turn out to matter most.