Ray Dean Shults

He started cutting and carrying wood from the time he could walk and was doing it until the day he entered the hospital. One of his favorite things was sawing logs and splitting them.

He went to work in the woods cutting shake bolts when he was 12 after moving to Darrington, Wa in 1950. He loved the woods and being outside. After graduating high school in 1957 he became a full time logger.

In 1961 he was preparing to enter the army, reluctantly I might add, when he met Mary Colley from Caldwell, Idaho and fell in love. They were married in 1964 and lived in Darrington until moving to Ellensburg in 1972 to work for the Weidenbach family up Reecer Creek and remained there until moving to Boise in 1976 to manage a horse boarding stable for J.R. Simplot. Then to Eagle Island to work on a Charlois ranch until moving back to Ellensburg in 1980 to manage Three Creek Ranch and Cattle Co which he dearly loved doing,,,,being with the cattle, horses and his family.

His biggest loves were his family and altho he wasn’t always able to take off work to watch his kids in horse shows or dirt bike races his heart was with them.

In 1985 Ray and Mary opened a saddle shop where it eventually evolved into Sagebrush Saddlery and Western Wear which they ran until Ray retired in 2005. Our amazement at his talents were numerous and often. For over 50 years he did leatherwork repairing things all others said wasn’t possible and he also made, from scratch, everything from covered wagon covers, custom motorcycle chaps, gun and knife cases, horse riding chaps and chinks and even took apart a customer’s 40 year old Coach briefcase, gutted it, rebuilt it and made it new again. As a testament to his talents there are people from all over the country and parts of the world still using his products.

Ray was a man with the quickest wit, sharpest comments, hearty laughter, huge smile and sparkling eyes. Above all else his children were his most prized possession and he enjoyed each minute spent with them.

It was not surprising when he went to town for coffee with “the boys” on Friday morning that he didn’t get home till after 6 or 7 because it took him hours to talk to people in the post office, at Wood’s Hardware and at Super 1 where he also adored the pharmacy girls.

He’s survived by his wife Mary, their daughter Deanie Shults and her partner Joe Valdez, Jeff and his wife Candi, their daughter Madelyn and a grandson Ryland in Ephrata. He is also survived by 3 sisters, Shirley (Frank) Hatch, Fay (Bob)Smith and Kari Estes (Neil McDonald, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and hundreds of loving, caring friends.

There will be a joyous time of remembering & story telling Sunday, October 26th, at 2:00 pm in the Manastash Room at the rodeo grounds under the bleachers where we can share our love for Ray.

Please, no flowers as he would prefer getting a good wood axe but rather donate to your local unit for dementia, diabetes or hospice.

Condolences for the family can be left at www.steward-williams.com.