Ray Barnes

Ray was born in Green Valley on November 19, 1938, to John ‘Scotty’ Barnes and Marian (Weyhrich) Gould, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Roy (Joyce) Barnes and Harry Barnes and is survived by his two younger brothers, Rex (Beverly) Gould and Ross (Diane) Gould. Ray married Jeanine Beasley January 9, 1960 in Dallas, Texas. He then married Joyce (Endicott) Cox December 31, 1976 in Peoria.

Ray will be dearly missed by his wife of 48 years, Joyce Barnes; his children, Rhett (Mary) Barnes, Tyler (Misty) Barnes, Chad (Nancy) Barnes, Darren (Tamra) Barnes and Danielle (Ben Fister) Barnes; his stepchildren, Lesa (Kevin) Little and Deanna (Mike) McCafferty; and a growing legacy of seventeen grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild who filled his life with love and laughter.

A life devoted to his family, Ray set an extraordinary example of love, selflessness, and wisdom. As a father and grandfather (“GPA RA”), he always put the needs of others before his own, providing his children and grandchildren with quiet strength and unwavering care. Because of the values he lived and instilled, his family has been able to build meaningful, fulfilling lives, inspired by the standard he set. He was the steady voice of reason and encouragement behind so many important decisions - a presence that will continue to guide and comfort us for generations to come.

Guided by faith, Ray lived with a deep devotion to Jesus Christ and a steadfast love for his church. Over the years, he faithfully served the church, always eager to lend a hand wherever he was needed - from treasurer to trustee. A passionate student of the Bible, he spent countless hours reading, studying, and sharing God’s Word, living out his faith with humility and dedication. His commitment to Christ and his church community left a lasting legacy of faith and service.

Being a member of Army ROTC and an engineering major at the University of Illinois ignited a keen interest in naval aviation. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in December 1958 and was discharged as a Lieutenant in June 1964.

In December 1963, Ray made the transition into civilian life and was employed in Information Services General Offices for Caterpillar Tractor Co. He progressed through several staff and managerial assignments to his final position as manager, Database and Teleprocessing Support. After 33 years, Ray retired from Caterpillar Inc. in November 1996. During this time, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Bradley University in May 1976.

Ray’s love for his country never wavered and he continued his service in the Air National Guard (1964 - 1982 retired Lieutenant Colonel) and U.S. Air Force Reserves (1982 - 1990 retired Colonel). Throughout his military career he held positions such as Squadron Commander - 182nd Direct Air Support Center (DASC) Squadron and 169th Tactical Air Support Squadron; DASC Director; Air Force Operations Officer; Aeronautical Systems Division (ASD) Reserve Program NY Detachment Commander; and ASD Reserve Program Chicago Detachment Commander.

Ray holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot having accumulated nearly 3,000 flying hours in the A4C Skyhawk, F84, 02A and 0A37 aircrafts. He was named the 1st Centurion on the USS Kitty Hawk for being the first pilot to have 100 successful jet landings or ‘traps’. His military decoration and awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

His life will be celebrated with a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 19, 2025 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pekin, with Rev. Daniel J. Bishop, Pastor, officiating. Interment will take place at Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, immediately after the service, with military rites accorded by the United States Navy and the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team. A luncheon will follow the cemetery service at the church. An additional visitation will also be held from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Friday at his church.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 711 Court St., Pekin, IL 61554; Good Shepherd Lutheran School, 3201 Court St., Pekin, IL 61554; Blood Cancer United at bloodcancerunited.org; and blood and platelet donations via your local blood donation center.

The family wishes to thank the numerous caregivers for their support.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com