Norwich – Riding in the limousine Tuesday headed to the Maplewood Cemetery for the reinterment of the remains of Norwich African-American folk artist Ellis Ruley and his son-in-law, Douglas Harris, Ruley’s great-granddaughter, Dianne Laiscell, said she felt a strong sense of peace.

The crisp fall air, light breeze, sunshine and small crowd of about 30 family members and well-wishers gathered for the event that meant the conclusion of a decades-old promise Ruley’s loved ones had made to keep trying to find out the truth about the deaths of Ruley and Harris.

“When you promise someone something, you have to follow through,” Laiscell said, “even if you were a child.”

Harris was found dead Nov. 20, 1948, head down and submerged in a shallow well at the family’s home on Hammond Avenue in Norwich. Authorities had ruled the death accidental drowning. Eleven years later, Ruley was found dead in the street at the base of the family’s long, steep driveway. Authorities said he had been drinking and his death, too, was ruled accidental.

In 1961, their secluded house, with electricity shut off, burned to the ground.

Last week, at the family’s request, documentary filmmaker Glenn Palmedo-Smith organized a mostly volunteer effort to exhume the two bodies, conduct autopsies at the William W. Backus Hospital and then reinter the remains with a funeral service. He plans to donate the documentary to Public Broadcasting Service and hopes to complete it in time to air during February, which is Black History Month, in 2016.

The Rev. Barbara White, pastor of Evans Memorial AME Zion Church in Norwich, who presided at Tuesday’s service, expressed words of comfort to family members on behalf of everyone gathered.

“Praise God for letting us see and experience years of work and perseverance to bring this day to long fruition,” White said. “… Though the wheels of justice grind slowly, they do grind.”

On behalf of the family, White thanked Palmedo-Smith, Backus Hospital, Dr. Michael Baden, who conducted the autopsies, the Henry L. Fuqua Funeral Service of Bloomfield and others for assisting with the endeavor.

Norwich-based Forget Me Knot Limousines donated two limousines to transport family members to the service. Elm-Cap Wilbert burial services company of West Hartford donated all exhumation services and two new concrete vaults, etched with their names and images of hands clasped in prayer, for each coffin. Batesville Casket Co. in Windsor donated two new caskets.

Tri-County Memorials donated a new headstone for Ruley’s grave, which lacked a stone, that includes a porcelain plate depicting one of Ruley’s most well-known paintings, “Adam and Eve.” The company also will add porcelain photo depictions of both Ruley and Harris to their headstones. Harris’ photo was vandalized just days after his first burial, family members said.

Gladys Traynum, Harris’ step-daughter and Ruley’s granddaughter, sat in a wheelchair rubbing the top of Ruley’s new gravestone throughout the service. At the end, other family members handed her two large red roses, with hugs and kisses.

“I’m sure my grandfather and my stepfather would be proud today,” Traynum said, continuing to rub the headstone. “A lot of people put so much work into this. I want to thank them all.”

Traynum and Laiscell both became emotional several times during the services.

“Thank you for doing such a beautiful job and for bringing my grandfather and my step-father closer together,” Traynum said quietly during the service. “I loved them very much and I miss them.”

Norwich police opened a cold case review of the two deaths 18 months ago at the request of the Ruley family. Norwich attorney Samuel Browning, who has volunteered to assist in the investigation, announced following the service that he would like to speak to anyone who knew Ruley or Harris or anything about their deaths. He also asked that witnesses of the house fire contact him or Norwich police to provide information. A few participants spoke with Browning following the service.

The full autopsy report will not be completed for about five weeks. On Saturday, Baden said he found signs of “concern” on Harris’ body, while no immediate signs of trauma were visible on Ruley’s remains. X-rays and microscopic slides still must be examined, he said.

Laiscell said the family is prepared to be patient for several more weeks to await the autopsy results.

“Whatever Dr. Baden says, I will accept,” she said. “In my heart, I know we have done all we can do.”

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday

Norwich police information

Norwich police are continuing a cold case review of Ruley's and Harris' deaths.

Anyone with information about the two men or circumstances surrounding their deaths is asked to call Norwich police Sgt. Corey Poore at (860)886-5561 or attorney Samuel Browning at (203) 376-5772.