Robert M. Ray
Robert M. Ray, 97, of Leesburg, Fla., formerly of Butler, went to be with the Lord on Oct. 1 at the Tranquility Hospice of Kennesaw Mountain in Marietta, Ga.
He was born in Rockland on July 19, 1917, the first son of the late Walter and Virgie Ray. He grew up in the Oil City and Franklin areas and graduated from Oil City High School in 1935.
He married the former Mae Bly of Cranberry on Sept. 30, 1941. They were married for 72 years, and she preceded him in death on June 15, 2014.
Robert was a World War II veteran, serving in Company F 1308th Engineer Regiment of the U.S. Army from 1943 through 1946. He served in the European Theatre and was en route to the Pacific Theatre when the war with Japan ended.
After the war, he graduated from what was then California State Teachers College in California, Pa. Mae and Bob settled in Butler in 1954, where he began his teaching career at the Butler School District, where he taught industrial arts classes at both the junior and senior high schools for 34 years, until his retirement in 1988.
They spent their winters in Florida for the next eight years, until deciding to relocate permanently to Leesburg, Fla., in 1997.
Robert and Mae loved boating and maintaining a boat and their seasonal mobile home on the Clarion River near Clarion for many years.
Robert's passions were guns and shooting sports. He was a lifelong NRA. member. He loved to buy, sell, trade, and work on his guns in his shop. He was an excellent instructor of small bore rifle shooting and was the coach of the Butler High School rifle team for 20 years. He also excelled at the shotgun shooting sports, trap, skeet and sporting clays. At age 90, he was the Florida state champion in his age group in sporting clays. He was still shooting regularly at age 95.
He also was a motorcycle enthusiast, owning a number of motorcycles from his younger days and even later in life. He and his wife played golf for many years, particularly while living in Florida.
Robert was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, son, and brother, and was generous to all with his time, talents and resources. Most assuredly, he lived his life according to Christian principles.
He is survived by his two sons, Mike Ray and his wife, Karen, of Canton, Ga., and Greg Ray and his wife, Barbara, of Bethlehem; his five grandchildren, Tim, Dan and Thomas Ray, Lori Ray Taggart, and Tanya Ray Belinc; his great-grandchildren, Tristan, Tsali, Owen, Harrison, Thomas Jr., Natalie, and Collin, and his numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by his three brothers, Gerald, Cecil and George.
Ray — A memorial service to celebrate the life of Robert M. Ray, who passed away Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 15 at theHile-Best Funeral Home, 2781 Rte. 257, Seneca, with the Rev. Gale Boocks officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow in the Rockland Cemetery in Kennerdell.Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, or online at www.woundedwarriorproject.com.Condolences to the family may be expressed online by visiting www.hilebest.com.
