Raymond Eugene Umbaugh, Jr. of Boulder passed away 9/24/2022 of natural causes. He was born in South Bend, Indiana on 8/21/1946. He grew up with a love of sports and played basketball at Ocala High School and Valparaiso University. His profession was accounting but he spent his free time creating, inventing, building, and fixing things. He was an entrepreneur and inventor to his core and enjoyed solving problems in new ways.
Ray had a patent on the germination disk he created for his aeroponics unit. He had a passion for animals, nature, and preserving the environment. At one point, he had a whole room in his house filled with tropical fish. At another time, he had that room filled with exotic birds. Later in life, he had rooms filled with plants and vegetables grown in his aeroponic chambers.
His wit and humor were second to none. Anyone who knew him has memories of him laughing - he even got a kick out of his own jokes!
He was an avid sports enthusiast. He could be observed in his Broncos or Nuggets gear, gathered around friends and family to cheer enthusiastically for his favorite Colorado teams. His kids remember all of his support for making projects and building things. Hillary remembers a time when he helped her learn to quilt. Marcy remembers the time he carefully glued over 100 tiny bows onto Christmas ornaments for her wedding. He was extremely patient and precise in getting things right as he approached any project, such as hanging a painting, drilling a hole, or planting a tree.
Ray loved the holidays and their house was known around the neighborhood for having the most beautiful Christmas lights. For a long time, he and neighbor friends would use a cherry picker to make sure the lights were strung at the top of the tallest trees in the yard.
He is survived by Hillary Ray Shiels (daughter), Marcy Leffingwell Willard (step-daughter) and grandchildren: Bradley Dean Willard, Brian Thomas Willard, Sloane Finley Shiels and Lauren Taylor Shiels. He is preceded in death by Matthew Clayton Umbaugh (son).
He was a wonderful father, grandpa, and friend to so many. Today we celebrate his life and appreciate the memories filled with laughter and love.
A memorial service for Raymond will be held Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Crist Mortuary, 3395 Penrose Place, Boulder, CO 80301. Following the memorial service will be a committal service from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at Mountain View Memorial Park, 3016 Kalmia Ave, Boulder, CO 80301.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cristmortuary.com for the Umbaugh family.
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