Having volunteered to read a eulogy at the funeral of several of our joint friends, Ray and I agreed that whoever went last would have to read a eulogy to the other. While I did not relish the idea of qualifying for such an dubious honour, I at least could rest assured that the mere idea made Ray squirm because he did not relish public speaking despite the fact he was very astute at it. So here goes Ray. I hope you and Alvin have a good laugh at my expense as I struggle to complete this assignment.... I first met Ray when I was sworn into the Kapuskasing Kinsmen Club. It was 1980, 40 years ago almost to the day. I was a vain 27-year-old. Ray was one of the elder statesmen in the club at the ripe old age of 37. What drew us together was our mutual appreciation for the work the club did, particularly our involvement in helping youngsters with physical limitations. Back then, we innocently referred to them as our Crippled Kids and Ray made it his personal mission to help each and everyone. What many may not remember is that Ray was one of the founding directors of the Easter Seal Society. The group was the creation of an amalgamation of service clubs dedicated to helping our kids. Later in life, Ray volunteered to become Director of the Kapuskasing Food Bank. He made that operation his first priority and he and Dian, along with a handful of volunteers, kept that place humming. Ray was without a doubt the clubs most able outdoorsman and that was the other interest that drew us together. We chased many a critter in our lifetime, both above and below water. With it came the need to harvest minnows, feed and build tree stands, ride and build trails, cut fire wood and the list goes on and on. Probably the only thing I am happy to have avoided was Rays years as the local minnow man. He recounted many harrowing stories of slugging through the bush with auger, cages and related tools in tow to harvest a steady supply of minnows both summer and winter. Had I known I would have likely volunteered to participate and then those harrowing stories would have been mine as well. Harvesting minnows was not Rays only sideline. He loved taking advantage of a bargain and would routinely chase down opportunities to buy used boats and motors that he would then re-sell for profit. It was as a result of such an opportunity that Ray started up the boat rental business at Remi Lake. He relished telling me how he picked up three used seasons one year. I had them paid off by the end of that first weekend, he told me. He actually told me that story several times over the years. Repeating is something we old men tend to do, especially on cold winter days when even the thought of stepping out of the camp is frightening. One such story was when, as a boy, Ray purchased one of the first gas-operated lawn mowers in his hometown of Smooth Rock Falls for his burgeoning business cutting grass for neighbours. I hardly ever had to push that thing because other boys always wanted to try it, he told me. That was only the first of several enterprises he put his name to. This is also how I learned that Ray enrolled in the military at only 16. As I recall, he was involved in something called the boy soldier program where adolescents were introduced to the armed forces while still attending school. He made many life-long friendships during his time in Chilliwack. While several chose to make a career of the military, Ray had other plans and returned home where he found work with the then Spruce Falls paper mill, eventually qualifying as an instrument mechanic. No such position exists anymore, it at the time he described it was the equivalent of todays computer technician. He also met and married Dian, the love of his life. When their first born arrived (Shari), Ray was recovering from back surgery and he would take her out hunting for birds, stopping periodically to change diapers and warm up her bottle of milk on the manifold. Despite this early introduction to life in the bush it was his young daughter Melanie whom he routinely referred to as his bush pig, because he believed she knew more about how to handle herself in the outdoors than the boys she dated. Shari, he referred to as his sergeant major, because of how well organized she was. The grand babies, Aubrey and Korey were his bacon eaters because of their love for bacon at a young age. He took great pride in introducing Aubrey to driving only last year, something he had done for his daughters many years before. Aubrey and Korey also earned many a dollar from their grandpa by scoring goal after goal during their time in hockey. Over the years Ray and I got to know each others parents and siblings. I feel I know his sisters Gail, Marlene and Brenda almost as well as I know my own sisters. Ray also knew my grandkids quite well. He must have made a real impression on Clarke because on their second meeting, when Clarke was only three, he casually remarked, Hello Uncle Ray! I could tell from Rays reaction that a permanent bond had been made and Uncle Ray and Aunty Dian became a permanent fixture in my grandkids lives. Clarke sobbed when I told him Ray had passed. That broke my heart. I am fortunate that Barbara and I got to spend a lot of time with the Gagnons, travelling together, sharing special occasions and generally enjoying each others company. I am beholding to him for the many favours he did for me. Barb and I will miss him. I am tired a burying my friends. And Ray was a very good friend.