Uncle Ray

My Great Uncle Ray is one of the few people on this planet that I will listen to. Because he speaks so reasonably and so jovially, it's hard not to go along with him especially as it all makes sense when ut in his unique fashion.

Ray is my grandfather's youngest brother and the middle child in his family. He had 2 older brothers and 2 younger sisters. He is an engineer, a farmer, a soldier and a carpenter. He is both rock and clown. I have a picture of him wearing a suit at his 50th wedding anniversary. He is dressed formally. Yet, by his stance with his hands in his pants with thumbs out, his back arched, and his jacket pushed back, he could be a cowboy.



He wanted to be a carpenter for many years. He even joined the union and made journeyman. Then he was drafted to serve in the Korean Conflict. His work experiences led the Army to assign him to the Corps of Engineers. Over there he somehow managed to knock out a front tooth. He always told the family that it happened when he was clowning around on a tank.



When Ray came marching home he decided that he wanted to be the one designing the buildings instead of building them, so in his early 20's he decided to go to Fresno State University to study engineering. He studied his courses on my grandparents kitchen table with my grandfather, the electrical engineer, helping him over the tough parts.



Of course, being single couldn't last forever. My family arranged for him to spend the summer rebuilding a porch at his brother's wife's family's cabin. They also arranged for his brother's sister-in-law to be up there all alone. They were engaged by Thanksgiving and married between Christmas and New Years.



Ray never stopped being a carpenter even after he obtained a position with Kings County as a civil engineer. He and his wife bought property to build a house. He would go to work during the day, and at night he would go inspect the construction. Always the kibbitzer, he would leave notes telling the carpenters what needed to changed, fixed, or completed. He would continue this habit 40 years later when he put and addition on his house.

Ray has had a couple of heart scares, and his wife is now suffering with Alzheimer's disease. Still he has a courageous smile and he continues to soldier on. He's has a tough life, but a full one and he'll always be a man I respect and love.