Ray Upton Gerkey

Ray Gerkey, son of the late William and Bertha Gerkey, was born on November 1, 1930 in Piqua, Ohio, and passed away on April 18, 2014 at his home in Mtn. Grove, Missouri at 83 years of age.

Ray was untied in marriage to Lorraine Cox on September 14, 1957 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ray retired as a fire chief in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1978.

They moved to the Cabool, Missouri area on July 4, 1978. Ray worked for the Cabool Police Department as a dispatcher for twenty-one years and in 1992, he and Lorraine moved to Mtn. Grove where he also dispatched for the Mtn. Grove Volunteer Fire Department for twenty-one years.

Ray was a kind and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He will be truly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter: Tammy Gerkey; one brother: Warren Gerkey; and by two sisters: Blanch Dill and Virginia Hill.

He is survived by his wife of fifty-six years: Lorraine Gerkey of their home in Mtn. Grove; his sons and daughters-in-law: Tim and Tracy Gerkey of Springfield, Missouri, Stan and Stacey Jo Gerkey of Decatur, Tennessee, and Roger Gerkey of Cleveland, Tennessee; his daughter and son-in-law: Melodie and Ron Miller of Mtn. Grove, Missouri; two brothers: Walt Gerkey of Ohio and Robert Gerkey of Tucson, Arizona; twelve grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and other relatives, neighbors, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Mtn. Grove Volunteer Fire Department in Rays memory, c/o the funeral home.