Raymond L. Randels

East Lansing, Michigan

Raymond L. Randels passed away on January 7, 2013 at home in East Lansing, MI. He was 89 years old. He was born on May 17, 1923, the youngest of four boys born to Elizabeth and Harry Randels in West Unity, Ohio. All have preceded him in death.

On October 9, 1943, Ray married Marian Juillard, of Stryker, Ohio, in Tacoma Washington where he was serving in the Army, Recently they celebrated 69 years of marriage They had three children, Michael, Josephine and Peter. Michael passed away in 2008 after a long struggle with breast cancer.

Upon returning from the European Theater of Operations during World War II he and Marian re-enrolled in the school of education at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. After graduation he started a teaching career at Dunkirk, Ohio and later moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, There he was a counselor and head basketball coach at Battle Creek Central. While at Battle Creek Central he received a master’s degree from Michigan State University.

Following his service at Battle Creek he joined the staff of the Michigan Education Association. He was the director of the MEA Camp at St., Mary’s Lake near Battle Creek, later transformed into the MEA Conference Center. He served in that capacity for eighteen years. He then transferred to MEA’s headquarters in East Lansing where he was the associate executive director for Uniserv. After retiring from MEA he joined the staff of the National Education Association in Washington, D.C. For approximately ten years he served in various capacities for the NEA, accepting short-term assignments in the states of Montana, Ohio, and Florida, while headquartering in D C. Marian and Ray were a perfect partnership serving the various communities in which they lived.

After retiring from NEA, Ray and Marian moved to their home on the shore of Lake Michigan near Good Hart. While there he was active in several civic organizations, and was supervisor of Readmond Township for eight years. One of his most proud achievements was successfully assisting in the establishment of a tri-county enhanced 9-1-1 dispatch authority for the area. In December of 2000 the Randelses made their move to Lansing. In 2012 they made their final move to Burcham Hills Retirement Center in East Lansing, MI.

He is survived by his wife Marian, Michael’s children Ryan and Caitlyn, daughter Josephine (Jodie) Faber and her children Sarah (Jason )Mahar, Gretchen, (Aaron) DeYoung, and Peter, (Roxanne) Faber, and son Peter and his children Josephine and Georgia. Also surviving are several great grand children, and brother-in-law Dorman Skeels, and many nieces and nephews.

His body has been cremated and a memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either Little Traverse Conservancy, 3264 Powell Road, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, or CCE 9-1-1 Central Dispatch, 200 Division Street, Petoskey Michigan 49770.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Lansing. On line condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com.