Ray Lawrence Popovich

Ray L Popovich, age 86, peacefully passed away on Thursday October 25, 2018. He was born on July 20, 1932 in a close-knit Serbian suburb of Columbus, Ohio to Eli and Anna Popovich. "Piv," as his family and close friends knew him, graduated high school at 16. Soon after he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served on the front lines during the Korean War as a field radio operator. After his service to the country, Piv attended Georgia Institute of Technology graduating in 1958 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. He moved to Los Angeles to work for Hughes Aircraft and later moved to Las Vegas to become a card dealer. A sports aficionado and loquacious man, he was best known for sharing his sports knowledge and personal experiences witnessing history. His stories about the neighborhood railroad workers during the heyday of train travel; his Grandfather Giga's home being filled with various animals rescued from rail yard; his Grandmother Big Nana's non-stop cooking of "old country" culinary treats; Days caddying for the city's elites, hitchhiking across the country, meeting renowned gangsters, athletes and the Hollywood stars that built Las Vegas were filled with intrigue and laughs. But Piv's most cherished memories were always about the years he spent in Marine Corps, and most importantly his time spent with family and friends. Piv is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, numerous aunts and uncles, and survived by his daughters Kathy Campbell (Larry Campbell), Carol Vennard (Steve Vennard) and Korrina Donald (Mark Donald); 6 grandchildren, Eddie, Andrew and Tyler Campbell (Kathy), Alyssa Dickensen and Daniel Vennard (Carol) and Cody Schindler (Korrina); his brother George "Dod" Popovich and his sister Susie Piecoro. Piv's family will receive friends at St. Stevan-Dechani Serbian Church, 1840 Cassady Avenue, Columbus, OH 43219 from 10-11 am on Thursday, November 1st. A funeral service will follow at 11 am. Interment with military honors will immediately follow at Mifflin Cemetery in Gahanna, Ohio. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his name to Disabled American Veterans at https://www.dav.org/veterans/ or to the Georgia Tech Alumni Association at https://www.gtalumni.org/s/1481/alumni/17/interior-wide.aspx?sid=1481andgid=21andpgid=642