RAYMOND ROBERT POWERS

Raymond Robert Powers, a longtime resident of Shelter Bay, died peacefully on Friday, June 5, in Mount Vernon.

Ray was born on March 20, 1924 on the family farm near Mauston, Wisconsin, the son of Edmund and Winifred Powers, the fourth of 11 children. When World War II was declared, he joined the Marine Corps at 17, where he rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant. He saw action in the South Pacific, where he survived two kamikaze attacks and participated in the invasion of Okinawa and the battle of Luzon. During this time, Ray suffered the loss of his older brother Ed, who was a B-24 Liberator pilot. The effect of that loss was deep but served to strengthen his faith and commitment to protect those he loved.

When Ray returned home after the war, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He graduated with honors, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering. Ray met his first wife, Lois Ebentier, at the UW, and they had four children. In 1950, while working at Anaconda Wire, Ray was transferred from the Midwest to Orange, California, where he settled with his young family. He spent most of his professional career at Beckman Instruments and Interstate Electronics.

In 1980, he married Georgia Gabler Duran from Tustin, California and doubled his family with her four children. After Ray retired in 1986, he and Georgia moved to La Conner, Washington, designing and building their dream home in Shelter Bay.

Always an active athlete, he excelled at tennis, played golf, and later pool. He was always at a premium as a partner around the bridge table and loved any games involving cards, especially gin rummy. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Shelter Bay Yacht Club in spite of the fact he had no yacht!

Ray and Georgia enjoyed traveling, touring Europe and the U.S. and visiting family. Active into his 90s, Ray could often be seen working with Georgia in their beautifully landscaped yard. Ray’s faith, family, and friends sustained him throughout his life.

He is survived by Georgia, his loving wife of 35 years, four children, four stepchildren, 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Ray’s whole life story is one of caring, strength, and integrity — his family was his treasure.

A memorial service for Ray will be held November 14 at the Shelter Bay Clubhouse.

Because Ray was a veteran and deeply concerned about returning veterans, the family requests that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org, or by telephone at 1-855-448-3997.

You may offer your condolences and share memories of Raymond to his family online at http://www.kernfuneralhome.com.