Ray Allen Naylor, age 87, of Warsaw, MO, passed away peacefully on July 13, after a short illness. Ray was born in Smithville, MO to Lowel and Ellen (Ray) Naylor on July 3, 1938.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothrs, David and Mark. Surviving him are his wife, Carole, of the home, and one sister, Debbie. Also surviving is one sister-in-law Fonda Shipp (Steve), as well as four nieces, Rebecca Mausbach (Scott), Jenna Deibel (Corey), Tara Shipp (Danna), Kelsie Bice, one nephew Adam Baumgardner (Krista), also several great nephews and nieces and other relatives.
Ray grew up in the Kansas City Northland area and graduated from North Kansas City High School. Soon after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served proudly and honorably for four years. In 1962, he was united in marriage to Carole Crabaugh, and they lived a long and happy life together for 63 years. Sometime after his military discharge, he started his career at Kansas City Power & Light and retired early after 31 years. He always said he started out as a ditch digger and ended up a supervisor, all of which he thoroughly enjoyed. He and Carole then built a home at Truman Lake where he currently resided and enjoyed many wonderful years of retirement there as well as wintering in Texas for a number of years.
Ray was a good husband and a hard worker and a friend to many. Ray was a man's man who was very talented working with his hands, anything mechanical, loved welding and was always up to the challenge of building something. He even took up wood carving later in life and loved it. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed many extended hunting and fishing trips with friends, but his favorite was fishing Truman Lake. He had a passion for working in his yard and took pride in having one of the nicest lawns in the neighborhood. Ray will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him as a friend.
Memorial donations are suggested to Novus LifeCare, formerly GVMH Hospice, of Clinton, MO.
Funeral and interment will be in Kansas City, KS at Chapel Hill Butler Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens located at 701 N. 94 St. Visitation will be at 10:30 followed by the service at 11:00.
