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RAY CLINTON FUNKHOUSER
July 5, 1924 ~ July 24, 2014
Ray Funkhouser died peacefully on July 24, 2014 at a home care facility in Portland, OR due to a long illness. Born in Camas, WA on July 5, 1924, Ray's parents were Roscoe and Margaret Funkhouser. Along with his younger brother, Burt, the family lived in Camas and Orofino, ID.
On Feb. 23, 1945, Ray married Florence Edna Davis in Camas while he was on leave from the U.S. Navy. As a Boatswain Mate he piloted landing craft assault boats during several amphibious battles in the Mediterranean area and received a Purple Heart as a result of his wounds.
After WWII, the young couple settled down in Vancouver, WA and had three daughters. The family moved to eastern Washington for a few years, but later returned to Vancouver where their daughters attended public schools, including Hudson's Bay High School.
Ray was a life-long Clark County, WA resident who founded Custom Aluminum Mfg. Inc. in the early 1960s where he invented and manufactured awnings, access doors and vents for travel trailers along with vacuum-forming operations later. The "shop" was located in Vancouver's shipyard area and had about 100 employees who designed and produced products for customers across the country. In the early 1970s, the company was sold to Elixir Industries, but Ray continued to manage the plant into the mid-1980s.
Ray was a pioneer organic gardener and bee keeper at his property in Hazel Dell. Later he enjoyed traveling with his motor home on fishing and gold mining trips.
Florence died in 1977 due to cancer after 32 years of marriage. From the mid-1980s on, Ray spent time with his long-time companion, Juanita Mount, who died in 2006.
Ray is survived by his brother, Burt Funkhouser, Spokane, WA; daughters, Sheryl Funkhouser (Larry-deceased) and Dyann Alkire (Tom) in Portland and Linda Funkhouser in Tampa, FL; grandchildren, Juliette (Richard), Michael, Charles (Katie) and Natalie; and great-grandchild, Max.
A funeral service and reception will be held on Fri., Aug. 8, 2014 at 12:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver, WA.
Please sign his guest book at: www.columbian.com/obits.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Evergreen Memorial Gardens Funeral Chapel1101 NE 112th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684
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