Thinking of you today on your 65th birthday and always my love.
44 years have passed since we'd first fell in love.

You were my high school sweetheart even though you were three years older than me and went to another high school.

Yesterday our song played and it instantly took me back in time with you remembering when you use to sing it to me. Styx - A.D. 1928.
You changed the opening lyrics to make it our song, "Tonight's the night we'll make history honey you and I."

I love you and miss you so much my dear husband.
Good memories take away the sadness since you've been gone.
You'd always strived to make others happy and I'll hold your values close to my heart. Thank you honey.
The memories of us are forever stored in my heart. I love you.

We love you and miss you Papa.
My husband and I met and fell in love in 1977 in Vancouver, WA when I was 17 and he was 20. In 1980 we were excited with our new baby Ray Jr.
Ray Sr. was one of the world's most talented drummers and in the mid- 80's he changed careers and became Seattle's No.1 Tower Crane Operating Engineer for the next 30 years building skyscrapers, stadiums, arenas and much, much, more.
"Have him climb a series of nearly vertical ladders to the top of a 600-foot-high by 8-foot-square steel tower that sways in the wind and can lean as much as a couple of feet in either direction and there's no problem."
Ray always worked hard to be the best at everything he did and was successful indeed.

Ray was nick named "Crazy Ray in the Crane" by Seattle's #1 Rock radio station KZOK who'd contacted Ray by cell daily to ask him for a bird's eye narrative of the cities traffic below. The KZOK crew became good friends with Ray and anticipated for Ray to entertain Seattle with his humor while connecting him live on air from his Tower Crane. Ray was a celebrity and loved by many people his entire life.
Ray retired at the age of 56 after a ground construction worker accidentally drove over his feet with a commercial forklift at the job site.
 
After retirement and no longer being engaged in his daily 30 year career, Ray began an intense battle with alcoholism.
In 2013 and 2014 Ray was admitted into the hospital and placed in ICU for two weeks, twice within one year. This took an instant and drastic toll on his life...Ray was losing his battle with alcoholism.
In October 2014, he entered Rehab at Providence Hospital for the last time. We were so proud of him and happy. Ray wanted to live and enjoyed being with his family, visiting his mother and spending time with his grandchildren. Fantasy Football, holidays, BBQ's, pizza and friends were his livelihood.
He was so proud to have finally completed rehab and received his accomplishment coin that he faithfully kept in his front pocket at all times. He got Baptized, attended AA meetings and was sober for 6 months, before falling off of the wagon.
He passed away at home one month later. We miss him dearly. Ray was kind, loving, sharing, funny, talented, entertaining, a hard worker and protective. He was a Rock Star and loved by many!

One thing that always impressed me about Ray, was the love he had for his family. He was always concerned for their well being. He wanted the best for them, and he loved them all very much.

He really loved his whole family a lot, and wanted to be there for them.
He talked about them a lot whenever I talked to him. He was a good man , a good friend and a legendary drummer from the pacific northwest. I am going to miss him.

I will miss Ray for his loyalty and kindness as a friend and for his musical skills and creativity as a band-mate.  When Martin, Ray and I got together on a couple of occasions to play - after years apart, we still had the spirit, intuition and even some skills from our band days. It was a reunion I will cherish. Rest well, my friend.

Ray was a friend to me for most of my life. Ray was not only a good friend, he was also the best drummer I have ever played with. Ray was a power house of a drummer. The kind you see or meet only once in a life time. He could also play any kind of music and the people he played for always loved his drumming. When Ray stepped up to the drums, you knew it was going to be like a concert every time. Know body could play the drums like Ray.,

Ray became a Christian like me in 2014. This gave us even more things to share in our lives. Some day I hope to play with him again, but for now I am really going to miss my good friend Ray.