Ray is preceded in death by his parents and brother Kenneth Wayne.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia, sister-in-law Dolores Grodzicki and nephew Joseph Morone, as well as several cousins and numerous friends and his beloved cats, Becca and Bella.
Ray was an avid scuba diver, and held many certifications in the sport, including Master Diver and instructor. He was also certified to teach scuba diving to the handicapped. He especially loved shipwreck diving, having spent much time diving shipwrecks in the Great Lakes as a member of the Ford Seahorses Dive Club. His favorite dive site of all was Truk Lagoon in Micronesia which he visited on multiple occasions.
Ray retired in 1999 from Ford Motor Company after almost 26 years in a career in Information Technology.
Ray had served in the Army Reserves, and for the last 21 years was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, serving in various capacities including District Captain of the 9th Central Region.
He had been licensed as an Advanced EMT, acting in that capacity on a volunteer basis. He also enjoyed practicing and teaching Tai Chi as a member of the Michigan Tai Chi Association. Ray and Virginia enjoyed traveling and were able to take numerous cruise vacations. He was also a proud member of the Masons.
A memorial visitation for Ray will be held Sunday, June 6, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Harry J. Will Funeral Home, 37000 Six Mile Rd., Livonia, MI 48152.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ray's memory may be made to:
Humane Society of Huron Valley, https://secure2.convio.net/hshv/site/Donation2?df_id=5363&5363.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T;
Michigan Humane Society , https://www.michiganhumane.org/donatenow/?sl_tc=zotabox_donate;
Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit, https://www.metrodetroitanimals.org/get-involved/donate/;
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund, 1005 N. Glebe Rd., Ste. 220, Arlington, VA 22201.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.HarryjWillLivonia.com for the Roberts family.
