The life and times of Ray
September 15, 2020
Ray was born August 18, 1950 in Tooele, Utah, the son of Louise Becker, a German immigrant, and Jules Alfred (Frenchie) LeBlanc, an American GI. Ray was the fourth of five boys. Louise and Fred met in Darmstadt-Eberstadt, Germany where Fred was stationed. Louise a widowed mother of two boys, speaking little English, would marry "Frenchie" and have another son, Thomas LeBlanc, just prior to boarding a ship to America. They made their way to of all places Tooele, Utah about thirty minutes southwest of Salt Lake City which is known for its Tooele Army Depot, its views of the nearby Oquirrh Mountains and the Great Salt Lake. I can not even being to imagine the culture shock Louise experienced a young German mother of three young boys and soon another on the way. Raymond Charles LeBlanc was born while they were still stationed in Tooele, Utah. Raymond would become a big brother soon after as they added another boy to the family, Joseph LeBlanc.
His parents relationship was strained at best and eventually they divorced. Louise moved herself and the boys to California for more opportunity.
He spent his formative years in Bakersfield CA, where he would meet The Busch Family (Pat, Ernie, Lynn and Tyoni) who took Ray in during some difficult times. He would tell his girls he grew up on the streets of Bakersfield right along side Buck Owen's. The couple of years that Ray spent as a part of the Busch family would be pivotal in shaping the man, husband and father that Ray would become.
Ray enjoyed sports and anything that kept his body and mind moving. He played High School football, I recall him telling us that they would cheer, "what makes the grass grow, blood, blood". He also learned to ski while living with the Busch family and became quite the outdoors man.
He attended Junior College at .........
While in College he worked at Safeway and worked his way up into management.
In his early twenties he was transferred to Southern California to manage a branch in Yorba Linda? Which is where he met Darlene, who would become his wife and trusted partner for over 42 years.
His parents relationship was strained at best and eventually they divorced. Louise moved herself and the boys to California for more opportunity.
He spent his formative years in Bakersfield CA, where he would meet The Busch Family (Pat, Ernie, Lynn and Tyoni) who took Ray in during some difficult times. He would tell his girls he grew up on the streets of Bakersfield right along side Buck Owen's. The couple of years that Ray spent as a part of the Busch family would be pivotal in shaping the man, husband and father that Ray would become.
Ray enjoyed sports and anything that kept his body and mind moving. He played High School football, I recall him telling us that they would cheer, "what makes the grass grow, blood, blood". He also learned to ski while living with the Busch family and became quite the outdoors man.
He attended Junior College at .........
While in College he worked at Safeway and worked his way up into management.
In his early twenties he was transferred to Southern California to manage a branch in Yorba Linda? Which is where he met Darlene, who would become his wife and trusted partner for over 42 years.