Raymond Paul Hlavacek

Raymond Paul Hlavacek passed away peacefully at home on June 15, 2022, surrounded by his family, after a battle with cancer. Ray was born on December 17, 1944, in Berwyn, IL. His family attended Brookfield Baptist Church where Ray remembered as a small child attending Vacation Bible School, where he heard and understood that he was a sinner and that he was destined to eternal death, had it not been for Christ's payment for Ray's sin on the cross at Calvary. At a young age, Ray accepted that free gift of salvation and has faithfully tried to live a life pleasing to his Heavenly Father, by following God and serving others.

Ray graduated in 1963 from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, IL. He then worked for Emblem Tool & Engineering in Cicero, IL, where he completed a Tool & Die Maker apprenticeship program, also attending evening classes to earn his journeyman status. Meeting all trade standards of an occupation listed as critical for the national war effort during the Vietnam War, Ray served his country from the homeland as a tool & die maker but always admired those who joined the military. Ray worked for IBM in Boulder for many years, then R&R Machining in Longmont, and retired from Pond Engineering in Berthoud in 2014.

Ray met Sharon Euler in 1963 at their church youth group and were married in 1966. They built their first home in Willow Springs, IL, but then moved to Longmont, Colorado in December 1974 to enjoy Ray’s passion for the outdoors and the wildlife found in Colorado. They found a church they liked in 1975, now named Longmont Calvary, and have been members there ever since. At Longmont Calvary, Ray served as a member of the Security Team; volunteered with Bread Box for many years, which is a food distribution effort at Calvary (formerly Community Food Share); and since 2013, to honor his church's military veterans, he led them each year in Longmont’s Veteran’s Day Parade, followed by a luncheon at Calvary for the veterans and their spouses.

Ray also enjoyed coaching in the Longmont Youth Baseball League in the 70’s and 80’s, but his biggest enjoyment was hunting in the Colorado and Wyoming Plains for antelope, geese, pheasant, turkey and duck as well as in their mountains with his son, Brian, and several longtime friends for elk and deer. And after 21 years of trying to get a moose tag in Colorado, in 2019 Ray was successful at finally receiving both a bull moose tag and the moose itself north of Walden, CO. Ray was thrilled, needless to say. He was a boater, camper and fisherman also, teaching his two children to enjoy all that God has provided for us.

Ray felt volunteering and serving others was an important part of life, so he found many ways to help others by being a driver to doctor appointments and a Mr. Fix-it for anyone he met who needed help. He also gladly served on his neighborhood HOA Board since 2017. He was always willing to give his time and energy to help others, and he loved to make people smile and laugh. He will be fiercely missed by many.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents Miles and Ella Hlavacek, his brother, Robert Hlavacek, Sr., and his nephew, Robert Hlavacek, Jr.

Ray’s surviving family includes the love of his life and best friend, Sharon Hlavacek (Longmont, CO), his daughter Trisha Pace and her husband, Rob (Alabama), his son Brian Hlavacek and his wife, Melissa (Colorado), and his niece Joy Hlavacek Mossholder Sporn, and her family (Pennsylvania). Ray was blessed with ten grandchildren spread out around the globe.

A public Celebration of Life service will be held for Ray Hlavacek on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 2:00 PM, at Longmont Calvary, 2101 Gay Street, Longmont, CO. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

1) "Upon the Rock" a Christian Camp ministry (Mail to: Upon the Rock, PO Box 1007, La Veta, CO 81055, or give on-line at https://www.upontherock.com/donate )

2) Guinea, West Africa missionary efforts where our granddaughter, Katherine Pace, is teaching a one-room-schoolhouse for missionary kids serving several different Global Partners. (Make checks payable to Fountain of Grace and mail to: Fountain of Grace Church, 881 McQueen Smith Road S, Prattville, AL 36066, or give on-line at https://fountainofgrace.thechurchco.com/give/, and designate "Katherine Pace/W. Africa account” on the Memo line. Katherine will distribute funds to needed local missionary efforts in Guinea, Africa.)

3) Longmont Calvary Church Deacons Fund for local benevolence needs (Mail to: Longmont Calvary Church, 2101 Gay Street, Longmont, CO 80501, or give on-line at https://longmontcalvary.org/give/)