Raye Earl Stanley, 84, passed away at home Tuesday, March 17, 2020. He was born on April 3, 1935 in Memphis, Tennessee to Earl and Gertrude Stanley. He grew up in Memphis, attending Treadwell High School, and went on to graduate as an engineer from The University of Tennessee.
Raye served in the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, as well as Fort Rucker, Alabama before coming to Huntsville to begin a 25-year aerospace engineering career as a civil servant at the Army Missile Command, Targets Management Office. Upon retirement from the Army Missile Command, Raye continued his ærospace career for another 10 years as an engineering consultant to a number of aerospace firms in the U.S., Canada, and France.
Along the way he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Helen White, and they became parents to Susan, in El Paso; Carol, in Memphis; and Neal, in Huntsville. Raye enjoyed his work at Redstone Arsenal and found Huntsville a great place to raise his family. He stayed busy outside the job keeping a beautiful lawn and garden, as well as helping coach little league sports, and working with the youth at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church. Raye enjoyed golf trips with work friends, as well as with his son. He and Mary began travelling with church friends and old high school buddies as time rolled by. Family reunions were favorites as were high school and college graduations. After retirement, Raye resumed old interests in coin and stamp collecting, and took up genealogy, which he loved.
Then came the grandchildren! They became his favorite pastime: Susan and Max Gurgew’s daughter, Danielle; Carol and Wayne Wright’s two sons, Sam and Josh; and Neal and Misarys Stanley’s daughter, Ilenia, and son, Eli. How they all loved their GrandRaye!
Raye had a Christian upbringing, and enjoyed his friends and family. His eternal optimism was an inspiration to all who knew him. He had a lifetime enjoyment of music, frequenting the Memphis quartet concerts in his youth. His favorite groups were The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers, and would show up if ever they came to town. Raye was preceded in death by his parents; and his son, Neal.
Because of virus concerns, the funeral will be a private family service, and he will be laid to rest next to his parents at Valhalla Memory Gardens. Any memorials to the Alzheimer’s Foundation will be appreciated.
To may sign the guestbook at www.valhallafunerals.com.
