Obit of McKinley, Ray Gene - Ottawa County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 29 Nov 2009 Return to Ottawa County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/ottawa/ottawa.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::NOT LISTED McKinley, Ray Gene MCKINLEY, RAY GENE 1926-2006 Ray was born August 29, 1926 in North Century, Oklahoma. The second son of Essie Rose Bacon McKinley and Millard Filmore McKinley. He grew up around the Pitcher, Oklahoma area. He met Audrey Dutton on his 16th birthday and loved to say "I told her I was sweet 16 and had never been kissed". He bravely served his country during World War II, being honorably discharged from his military service in the U S Navy. He was assigned to ships classified as escort aircraft carriers. The USS Nehenta Bay and USS Kula Gulf were two of the ships he served on. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he traveled to Oregon where he married his "sweetie" Audrey in March 1947. He went to work at Publishers Paper Company in Oregon City in 1947 and retired from there in 1988 after 41 years of service to the company. He had many friends from the mill and remained in touch with some of them even years after his retirement. Ray and Audrey lived in Gladstone when their first child, Roseanne was born in June of 1949. They later moved to the Carus area where they were joined by a second child, a son Michael, born in 1953. At the age of 35 Ray and Audrey moved to the farm in Mulino, Oregon where they continued to live until Ray's health became frail in mid 2005. Ray enjoyed camping with his wife and grandchildren. He loved to fish at Timothy Lake and the Willamette River at Oregon City. Ray was an active member of the United Pentecostal Church in Oregon City. Ray is survived by his wife of 59 1/2 years, Audrey. His children Roseanne Knowles and her husband Richard, Son Michael and his wife Raewyn. Grandchildren: Douglas 34, wife Jaana, Perth Western Australia; Andrea 34, husband Rob, Dallas Georgia; Roger 32, wife Melissa, Fremont, California; Cody 32, partner Andrea, Salt Lake City, Utah; Cami, 20 Milwaukie, Oregon; Victoria 17, Dallas Georgia. Great-Grandchildren: Tanner, Peyton, Laini, Tyler, Kasenya, and Rawley. He also is survived by 2 sisters Lavern Harris, and Norma Pyle, both of Miami, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Betty, brothers, Ralph & Charles. Donations may be made to The United Pentecostal Church in Oregon City for the "children's education fund". Published in The Oregonian on 11/17/2006. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Ottawa County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/ottawa/ottawa.html