Raymond Edward George

Raymond Edward George, age 86 of Bloomfield Hills, died Thursday, September 24, 2015 at St. John Hospital in Detroit. He was born June 8, 1929 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, son of the late James Emmet George and the late Ella Mae (nee: Irwin) George.Married on September 14, 1957 to the love of his life, Carol Jean Boatright, it was in the familiar surroundings of her parents' home in Midland, Texas that Ray & Carol shared their vows and began their lives together as husband & wife, a journey that spanned 58 wonderful years. Together they raised three beautiful children. Ray attended Johnstown High School, and Penn State University where he earned a degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1951. He began his career in the oil and gas industry in Bartlesville, OK working for Phillips Petroleum. He was drafted and served in the US Army during the Korean War. Upon discharge, Ray returned to Phillips and was assigned in Oklahoma City. It was there, in the Methodist Church, that he met his beloved Carol Jean. After a year of courtship they married, honeymooning in Mexico City and Acapulco. Shortly after their return, Ray was transferred to Odessa, TX.Within a few years, opportunity came knocking. Ray accepted a position with the Detroit banking firm, NBD, in 1960. He merged his oil and gas expertise with the finance world, becoming a vice-president in the Trust Department. In the mid-seventies, business dealings afforded him the opportunity to venture on his own. Combining his engineering degree with his entrepreneurial mind, Ray began his company, Crestlake Energy, which was headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. When work wasn't calling, Ray enjoyed a variety of interests and pastimes, one of the most notable being his fascination with genealogy. Renown as a detailed record keeper, Ray possessed an extensive library of genealogical data and worked diligently to trace his ancestry, traveling wherever necessary to gather pertinent information. He loved learning about his family history.Ray loved playing games of all kinds. He had a fun-loving and competitive nature. When his children were young, he would come home from work and instigate a lively game of Red Rover or Kick the Can, and the neighborhood kids always gathered. The house had a closet full of board games, and he loved his bridge. He passed on his love of games to his children and his grandchildren. 'Turkey' tournaments at the family cottage on Walloon were a treasured tradition. Walloon Lake was his little slice of Heaven. He and Carol Jean were up as often as possible enjoying all the activities the four seasons had to offer. Many milestones were celebrated there….two of his children's weddings, numerous birthdays, Christmas holidays, and every Fourth of July. Throughout his life, Ray traveled the world. Destinations included Japan, Malaysia, Alaska, Great Britain, Singapore, Bali, and the Calgary Olympics. A trip to Tahiti inspired him to get his family certified in scuba diving. That led to Christmas holiday vacations exploring the pristine waters in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Telling a story of Ray just wouldn't be complete without mentioning how much he loved his Penn State Nittany Lions. He was a die-hard fan, as all his friends would attest, and followed all PSU sports. Yet of all the things Ray enjoyed, none was more meaningful than the special people in his life. A loving husband, father of three, and grandfather to eight, Ray prioritized his family above everything else. He will be missed immensely and loved eternally.Ray was the beloved husband of Carol Jean (nee: Boatright) George. Dearest father of Mindy (Robert, D.D.S.) Stewart, D.D.S., Jill (James) McNichols, and Christian (Kathryn Paige) George, MD. Loving grandfather of Ellen, Anna, and Robert Stewart "RJ", Sally, Austin, and Lillian McNichols, and William and Kathryn George. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald George, MD and Nevin George.A Memorial Gathering for Raymond will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 10, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, 1589 W. Maple Road in Birmingham. A Private Family Visitation was held prior to his entombment at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.Memorials may be made to any of the following: Henry Ford Health System Nephrology Education and Research Fund, Attn: Office of Philanthropy, 1 Ford Place, Suite 5A, Detroit, MI 48202-3450. Walloon Lake Trust and Conservancy, P.O. Box 621, Petoskey, MI 49770. First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, 1589 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, MI 48009.Please share memories of Ray at his memory book above.