Raymond W. Carbaugh

Ray Carbaugh was born on May 16, 1937 to Chester and Doris Carbaugh in a small cabin near Oil City, PA. Ray grew up by humble means and learned to hunt and fish at a young age. One of his passions was fishing and he enjoyed it so much that he co-founded the Kent Bass Masters and was very active in the Western Bass Club. He was published in several fishing books and documents and was well known in the bass fishing community.

Ray met the love of his life, Jane, while serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Lexington, and they married in 1960. They made their long-time family home in Seattle where they raised their only son.

Ray was an artist at heart. From doing body work on classic cars in his early years to pottery later in life, he was gifted with many talents. The very first car he owned was a 1949 Mercury Coupe that he customized with a chop top and a blower. He owned his own auto body and paint shop and did custom work and for many people including a race car for Big Daddy (Don Garlits). Ray also worked as a paint shop foreman for Datsun/Nissan and retired from Kia.

As a potter, he had a very promising career making some of the most beautiful utilitarian pottery with his wife Jane, together they were RJ Pottery. In 2011, Ray’s son took him to a glass blowing class and he was hooked and spent the next several years working with glass art.

On Oct 3, 2017 Ray passed away in at a rehab center while recovering from a stroke. He is preceded in death by his parents Doris and Chester and beloved wife Jane. He is survived by sisters Linda White and Christine Hicks, son Ritch and daughter-in-law Toni.

Dad ~ on behalf of your family and special friends, including the countless acquaintances you made throughout your incredible 80 years-we salute you. As a friend and as a father, we were all incredibly lucky to have known you. We love you, and you will never be forgotten.