Wayne County KyArchives Obituaries.....Guffey, James Ray May 2009
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ky/kyfiles.html
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sherri Bradley ldrbelties@windstream.net February 24, 2010, 9:07 pm

Daily News-Miner (Fairbanks, Alaska)
James Ray Guffey was born in Windy, Ky., on Aug. 6, 1940. He lived in Kentucky 
where he was the second son of 12 children on a small tobacco farm. In 1956, 
he moved to Fairbanks with his aunt and uncle where he attended Lathrop High 
School.

Upon completion of high school, Ray was introduced to and immediately fell in 
love with operating equipment, which gave him the opportunity to work and 
travel all over the great state of Alaska and the world. In 1961, Uncle Sam 
came knocking, and he honorably fulfilled his obligation, via the U.S. Army. 
He returned to Alaska where he continued his employment with the city of 
Fairbanks and later Earth Movers of Fairbanks. 

He was a member of the 302 Operating Engineers for 40 years. Also in 1961, he 
met the love of his life, Gloria Jean Boehmer, and they married in 1966. 
Through thick and thin for 42 years they served each other. They had two sons, 
Buck and Justin Guffey. 

Ray loved three things in life: his family, work and ice cream. After 
surviving his first bout of cancer, he retired from the 302 in 1995, he 
started his second career of "snow birding." This gave him the opportunity to 
do what he loved -- see his family in Alaska, Kentucky and Indiana, work in 
Arizona and eat ice cream everywhere. 

During the winter months, he volunteered his time and uncanny work ethic at 
the Desert Rose Baha'i Institute. 

If you ever visit Eloy, Ariz., you can see the fruit of his labor there, where 
he was honored with having one of the buildings named after him. In the summer 
months, he would return to Alaska via Kentucky and Indiana to spend time with 
his sons and eat ice cream with his grandchildren. Ray loved to sit and tell 
stories to them.

In the fall and spring when he was traveling, he always made it a point to 
visit his family and friends all over the Lower 48. The highlight of the bi-
annual migration was to "burn up" his brothers during the annual pocket knife 
swap. If he and his brothers weren't lying to each other, they were hiding the 
prized desserts that their mother always made. 

Hard work, laughter and fellowship were not only a big part of his life -- 
they defined it. He always said "Never say whoa on a hard pull." You could 
always count on him to right the ship, pick you up or lend you an ear 
depending on what he thought you needed. He always had a pot of coffee on and 
time for friends. He will be greatly missed not only as a husband, father, 
grandfather or brother but as one of life's great charters.

Ray was preceded in death by his father, Lanzo Guffey; mother and stepfather, 
Mary and Hubert Hicks; and brother, Wilfred Guffey.

He is survived by his wife, Gloria; sons and daughters-in-law, Buck and Lacey 
and Justin and Usa; grandchildren, Madison, Garrett, Zane, Madelyn and Gabriel 
Ray; eight brothers and two sisters and their families, Lucille Denney, 
Marshal, Hershel, Martin, Robert, Jean Clarke, Randal, Jack, Eddie and Kay; 
and a host of extended family and friends.

Ray wished for friends and family, in lieu of sending flowers, to please make 
donations to the Ray Guffey Memorial Fund, Attn: Shirley Micas, 1950 W. 
William Sears Drive, Eloy AZ 85231.



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/wayne/obits/g/guffey4247gob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/