Born on January 17th, 1947, in Texarkana, Arkansas to John and Rubye Raymer, he grew up with a love of fishing, hunting and the outdoors.
John enlisted in the United States Army in 1966, and following Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in January 1967. He served two combat tours in Vietnam, one as an Infantry platoon leader, and later as a helicopter pilot. Among his many decorations were the Silver Star and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He left the Army in 1974 as a Captain.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, John received his real estate license. He excelled in the industry, quickly becoming a real estate broker. Among his many accomplishments are serving as a managing broker under Dan Parker, and serving as the President of the Columbus Board of Realtors in 1987. His real estate career spanned almost 50 years. He was a Realtor Emeritus with the National Association of Realtors.
John married the love of his life, Gayle, in 1969, and together they built a beautiful life together. Among his greatest accomplishments was his family. He is survived by his wife, Gayle; daughter, Kim (Clint) Carter; son, Chuck (Amy) Raymer; grandchildren, Chelsea (Luke), Zachary (Morgan), Mikaili, Max, and great grandchildren, Kenlee and Tanner. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Donna.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026. The family will receive guests at 1:00 p.m with a service following at 2:00 p.m. at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus, GA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
John’s contagious laughter and generous heart will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
