Arthur “Ray” Cox died on July 27, 2020 at the age of 79.
Ray was born on March 16, 1941 at the old Hermiston Hospital.
He spent nearly all of his growing-up years in Stanfield, where he attended all 12 years of school. After high school, he and a friend (Mike Grogan) joined the Army together, and Ray served his enlistment at Fort Campbell, Ky. with the 101st Airborne. In 1962 during the Kennedy presidency and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Ray and his fellow paratroopers were ordered to sleep under the wings of their planes to be ready to invade Cuba. Thank the Lord that never happened. Ray’s ground position was that of a forward observer with his own jeep, which he enjoyed.
Ray returned to Stanfield for a short time after his Army enlistment was over in June 1963. While home, he met and married Mary Fullerton from nearby Echo. He soon took a job with the railroad and began his 37-year career with the Union Pacific Railroad as a brakeman and conductor.
Ray and Mary made their first home in Centralia, Wash., where Ray began his railroad job. Their three children, Rodney Ray, MaryAnn and Julie Lynn, were all born in Centralia. The family later moved to 10 wooded acres between Woodland and LaCenter, Wash. to be closer to Ray’s work out of Portland, and nearer to some of his favorite fishing spots!
In 1982, Ray once again moved his family. They purchased some farmland near Goldendale, Wash., and all three children graduated from Goldendale High School. Ray commuted to his railroad job in Portland until 2001, when he retired from the railroad. Ray farmed and raised cattle up until his death. Ray worked hard and lived large and was loved much by his family. He will be sorely missed.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; son, R. Ray Cox; two daughters, MaryAnn Rowen and Julie Ravet; six grandchildren, Anthony, Jessica and Makayla Cox of Nevada, Michelle Zumwalt of Washougal, Wash., and Brock and Brooke Ravet of Ellensburg, Wash.; and three great grandchildren, Mason and Mackenzie Zumwalt, and the newest addition to the family, great grandson Colton Ray Cox, born just the day after Ray passed on into heaven.
Ray was preceded in death by his grandson, Justin Rowen of Washougal, Wash.
At Ray’s request, there was a family-only graveside gathering at the Echo Cemetery on Aug. 1, 2020 at 11 a.m., with Burns Mortuary of Hermiston officiating.
Please share memories of Ray with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
