He was born on June 27, 1937 in Boise, Idaho to William Lee Dyer and Zelda Mae (Lowery) Dyer. Ray’s family moved to Hermiston in 1943 and he graduated from Hermiston High School in 1955. He attended many technical schools of electronics (tubes & transistor solid state devices) and seismic equipment.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1955 and served in many overseas locations including: Japan, Formosa, Saigon Vietnam, and Turkey. Ray also traveled through Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, Midway, and visited the Philippines.
He was stationed states side at Electronics School at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, and just loved his last assignment in Pinedale, Wyoming.
Ray retired from the Air Force with an honorable discharge in September of 1975 and returned to Hermiston. He worked with his dad at Lee’s TV Repair and other electronics equipment and later ran the business for several years.
He had been in all but five of the United States: North & South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, and Rhode Island.
Ray loved hunting, fishing, people and his passion was bowling. In his life he bowled two 300 games and one 299 game. He attempted the game of golf which defeated him throughout his golfing days. Which lead him to ask, “Who said it was fun?”
He was a life member of the VFW, a Mason in the 32nd degree, and Stanfield Moose Lodge.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, John Lowry Dyer.
Ray is survived by his daughters: Debra Bennett and Kelly Sallee. Debra has a daughter, Cheyenne, and son, Jeffrey. Kelly has two daughters, Tiffany and Whitney. He is also survived by a great-granddaughter, Emma.
Ray wanted to say, “I want to thank my daughters, cousins, nieces, nephews, and all of my friends for their companionship, fellowship, and happiness given to me throughout my life. You are the greatest. God has some wonderful people on this Earth and you are definitely among them. I wish that there be no sorrow upon my death. I know God will let me see you again along with all of our passed families and friends. Love to you all. May our Father and his Son, be with you.”
A graveside funeral service with military honors will be held on Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Hermiston Cemetery, Hermiston.
Please sign the online guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
