Richard Wayne Ray
Marriages
Darlene I.
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 B Death Notice - October 10, 2014
Richard Wayne Ray, 88, Grand Junction, died Oct. 5, 2014, at
home.
A graveside service with honors is 11 a.m. Monday at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Mr. Ray was a heavy equipment contractor.
Survivors include his wife, Darlene I.; two daughters, Donna J.
Wilkerson of Grand Junction and Linda M. Weber of Whitewater; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to HopeWest, 3090B N. 12th St., Grand Junction 81506 or Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2554 Patterson Road, Grand Junction 81505.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 B Death Notice - October 11, 2014
Richard “Dick” W. Ray
April 2, 1926 - October 5, 2014
Dick was born in Kimball, Nebraska, on April 2, 1926, the youngest of three boys, to John and Marie (Tilton) Ray. He and his two brothers spent their youth in California and Colorado. He was full of stories about living through, and surviving, the depression era.
Dick served in the Army from 1946 to 1947, in Osaka, Japan, during WWII, running heavy equipment and earned the rank of Sergeant. He also served with the 79th Engineer Maintenance Company, supervising men repairing and overhauling all types of construction equipment while in Japan.
Dick spent his adult life running various pieces of heavy equipment, working for and owning George Tilton Construction and Ray Crane Service, among other companies. He was in his element behind the controls of a backhoe, crane, or any piece of heavy equipment.
Dick was very athletic and especially enjoyed water skiing at Lake Mead and Lake Powell and boating on the Colorado River. The first day he waterskied, he won a trophy. He and his family spent many years vacationing with the Liimatta family making fond and wonderful memories. He also enjoyed watching Nascar racing and reminiscing about his stock car racing days driving the family famous number 777 he and his brother-in-law, Bob Yaws, built together.
He was a long time member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He loved the Lord and wanted everyone to have the same love for Jesus that he did.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Darlene (Scott) Ray; daughters, Donna (Steve) Wilkerson and Linda (Rick) Weber; six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces, some who were like daughters to him, including Deb Ghiloni and Cheryl Yaws.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Gene and Glen, and sons Ron and Jack Ray.
Graveside services will be at Memorial Gardens, Monday, October 13, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Hope West or the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Mary Quinn and the other staff from HopeWest Hospice.
