After graduating from Lakewood High School, where he won a state football championship, Ray began serving in the United States Navy as an Aircraft Carrier Radar Technician during the Korean War. He later went on to earn his Bachelors Degree from Regis University and worked for over 30 years as an Engineer and Computer Programmer at the Public Service Company of Colorado before finishing his career as a programmer for the US Air Force Finance Center. Ray loved his family, traveling, playing golf, and his church.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife of over 57 years Shirley and his son Michael. He is survived by his children - Randy (Cindy) Tanner, Merri (Randy) Pedersen, Scott (Debbie) Tanner, his 7 grandchildren - Brittnee Tanner, Michelle Berry, Daniel Tanner, Stephanie Neu, Wendy Haverkamp, Erik Pedersen, and Coleton Tanner and his 3 great-grandchildren Olivia Berry, Maverick Berry and Declan Tanner.
