Ray Wicks

Ray O. Wicks of Longmont passed away February 8th at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, Colorado. He was 79 years old. Ray was born in Albany, Oregon, May 11th 1937 to Cecil and Rosalie Wicks. Ray attended schools in Enterprise and Eugene, Oregon. He served in Korea with the 1st Marine Division as a radioman, E-7, 2nd Class, Seabee. Infantry training was taken at Camp Pendleton, San Diego with technical and engineering training at the Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, California. Following his tour, Ray returned to finish his senior year at Eugene, Oregon graduating in 1955 and continued reserve time until 1962. Ray attended Oregon Technical Institute, University of Oregon as well as Portland State, and worked in the field of electrical engineering and sales managing.

In 1971, Ray along with two partners formed Midwick Corporation in Oshkosh and Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The company manufactured capacitors and telephone cable. The company was later sold to Converse Rubber Company. The remainder of Ray’s career was in Product Development Managing with Superior Continental Co. ; National Sales Manager Continental Copper & Steel Co. ; District Sales Manager and National Sales Manager with Anaconda; Regional Manager of Optalink and retiring with Nipon Electric Co. in Denver.

On August 9th, 1991 Raw was married to Kaye Towner at Lake Tahoe and together they lived in Evergreen, Colorado until moving to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1998. After building a home in Kailua-Kona, both Ray and Kaye enjoyed the beautiful island life of friends, sun, surf, and aloha. In 2012, Ray and Kaye relocated to the mainland to Longmont, Colorado to be closer to family. Ray was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and a member of the Profession Ski Instructors of America. Ray was an avid skier, teaching at Mount Hood, Oregon as well as teaching disabled skiers at Winter Park, Colorado.

Ray is survived by his wife, Kaye of Longmont, Colorado; daughter Debra Bischof of Wilsonville, Oregon; daughter Robin Nelson Wicks of Twisp, Washington and son Gregg Wicks of Seattle, Washington ; step-daughter and so-in-law Denice and Tom Chenault of Longmont, Colorado; step-daughter Amy Watson of Littleton, Colorado; granddaughter Heather Wicks of Billings, Montana; granddaughter Kelsey Wicks of Portland, Oregon; granddaughter Faurest N. Wicks of Spokane, Washington; grandson Benjamin Simon of Portland, Oregon; step- granddaughter Alexandra Watson of Littleton, Colorado; step-grandson Dominic Ciani of Longmont, Colorado; step-granddaughter Courtney Chenault of Denver, Colorado; step-grandson Adrian Chenault and family of Kusnacht, Switzerland; great-granddaughters Corinee and Linden and great-grandson Hugo of Kusnacht, Switzerland.

Ray’s wishes were to be cremated with no organized service. Memorial contributes may be made in Ray’s name to local church, “The Journey of Longmont”, 2000 Pike Road, Unit #A, Longmont, Colorado 80501.

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