Uncle Ray

As I was getting ready to go through security at Corpus Christi airport last night I received a call that Uncle Ray had passed away in Oklahoma City. Ray was 88 years old and had spent his lifetime in Christian service as a music minister, college professor, concert and recording artist, radio broadcaster and avid ham radio operator. He wasn't just my dad's uncle - he was also my surrogate grandfather.

My actual grandfather passed away when my dad was just 6 years old, and due to some family problems, dad ended up living with his grandfather until he was 15. Handling a 15 year old was a little tough for my great-grandfather, and Uncle Ray stepped in and invited my dad to move in with his family in Kansas City. Dad became part of the family. He lived with Ray until he left for college and they have been very close ever since.

During Thanksgiving week in 2005 we visited Oklahoma City and spent an evening with Ray and his children's families, including his "adopted" son, my dad. I took this picture that night, and it was the last time I saw Ray on this side of heaven. Ray was already suffering the ravages of pulmonary fibrosis and was on full-time oxygen when this picture was taken. That's my dad on the left with "siblings" Kathy, Harlan and Phil. That night Ray gave a speech to the family and said that he probably wouldn't see another Christmas. He last longer than any of us thought and not only saw Christmas 2005 but 2006 as well.
Ray was always a physically vigorous man, right up to the onset of the disease. He was always trim and fit and usually going a mile a minute. I can remember when I was a teenager during the height of the CB radio craze, I had installed a big whip antennae on my VW (yes, I was quite the nerd back then...and maybe still am), but was having trouble broadcasting and getting good reception. Ray happened to be visiting my family and he diagnosed the problem and helped me fix the antennae mount to solve the problem. His lifelong love of amateur radio had given him a great deal of expertise in those things.

He had also spent a lifetime teaching voice. Back in the 90's sometime I visited OKC and attended a concert with him by a prominent Christian singer (I won't mention the artist's name). Ray knew him very well and told me afterwards that if he could just work with him a bit, he could fix that "flip" in his voice. He probably could too.

We knew this day was coming, but it's still tough. Ray was quite a guy and we'll miss him. I won't be able to attend the services in Oklahoma City and Kansas City this week, but my dad will be there with his brothers and sister.

You can read Uncle Ray's obituary and rich history in the Nazarene news here.