Raymond D. Statler

“Ray” Statler: beloved father, son, brother, husband, grandpa and uncle; loyal friend to so many, valued neighbor, soldier, patriot, Christian, realtor, broker, natural leader, hard worker, horseman, public speaker, student, teacher, outstanding graduate and life of the party! Ray is and was all of these things and more.

Ray was born in Marietta, Ohio on July 6, 1925 to Lula Marie (Clutter) and Romeo Harrison Statler. Six months later, the family moved to St. Marys, W. Virginia, which remained their hometown thereafter. Ray was the fifth of seven children: Earl Edward, Harold Eugene, Twyla June, Romeo Jr. (1922-24), Virginia Lou, and Ramona Avis. Ray has been preceded in death by both parents and all siblings except sister Ramona and her husband Bill Hart, of Florida, and brother-in-law and great friend Jim Davis of Maryland.

Drafted into the Army Air corps during his senior year of high school, Ray served as a radio operator and gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator with the 8th Air Force, flying out of England during WWII. Discharged home after a year with the occupation forces in Germany, Ray soon reentered the Air Force and for the next eighteen months, he escorted war dead home. He always spoke both solemnly and with pride of that duty, accompanying each man home to his family, often becoming like family at that difficult time. He worked for a time as a rural mail carrier before returning to military service during the Korean War. Within the next 3 decades, he served in the Ohio National Guard, the West Virginia National Guard, and then the US Air Force until his retirement in 1978. In his career he served all over the US, Germany, France, Thailand, brief tours in Africa, the Middle East, and Scandinavia. In his radio operations duties, he spoke personally with Apollo astronauts on many occasions. His last military years were at Lackland AFB in San Antonio as First Sergeant of the 3706 Squadron, where he trained new military recruits.

Following his military career, Ray pursued first a real estate license, then his broker’s license, and worked his next 30 years in San Antonio, winning many awards for sales milestones. He ultimately owned his own real estate company “Statler Realty”, and then became broker for his son Bruce’s company “Statler Properties”. After military retirement, Ray received his associate’s degree from SAC (along with his wife and son in the same commencement!), and then his bachelor’s degree from SWT a few years later. He enjoyed a good joke and always had a great sense of humor and never stopped working, maintaining part time duties at Statler Properties until his 85th year.

Ray Statler is survived by his sons Dr. Mark Statler of New Braunfels and Bruce Statler of San Antonio; daughter Kimberly Darling of Jourdanton, Texas; and his ex-wife but eternal friend Betty Statler of San Antonio. Ray has 7 grandchildren: Robert Statler of Ft Worth; Amy Statler of College Station; Alec Statler of New Braunfels; Jaclyn Garza of Tampa, Florida; and Jennifer Statler, Jordan Statler, and Kristin Dalton of San Antonio. Ray has 2 great grandkids: Dorian Dalton of San Antonio and Evan Garza of Tampa. His third great grandson “Ray” will be born to Jaclyn any day now.

Memorial Service will be at 7pm, Thursday, September 23 at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, located at 6321 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, TX 78238. Phone number 210-521-2111.

In place of flowers, we ask that donations be made to Ray’s favorite charities: Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington DC, 20037. Or to Veterans of Foreign Wars, 406 W. 34th Street, Kansas City, Mo, 64111. Or to Odyssey Hospice House, 13431 Blanco Road, San Antonio, TX, 78216.

Go with God, Dad. We all love you. We have all been blessed and inspired by the man that you were. You will be missed but never forgotten.