Raymond "Ray" Earl Ely, Jr.

Raymond Earl Ely, Jr., age 80, of Stover, Missouri; died Monday, October 4, 2010, at his home.
He was born September 29, 1930, in Plaistow, New Hampshire, a son of Raymond E. Sr., and Hazel Riley Ely, who are both deceased.
On April 30, 1961, in Newton, New Hampshire, Ray was united in marriage to Louise Thompson, who preceded him in death July 30, 2008.
He is survived by four sons, Rusty Ely and wife Dawn of Laurie, Missouri; Shane Ely of Long Island, New York; Ron Ely and wife Freida of Springfield, Missouri and David Ely and wife Sharleen of Lebanon, Missouri; three daughters, Ramona Gibbs of Stover, Missouri; Phoebe Ponzo and husband Thomas and Irene Gigilotti all of Massachusetts; two sisters, Berniece Ely and husband George Melvin of New Hampshire and Harriett Butchokous and husband Leo of Massachusetts; one brother, Fredrick Ely and wife Kathy of New Hampshire; also several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray was also preceded in death by one son, Raymond E. Ely, III and one sister, Phoebe Venti.
Ray Ely, Jr. will affectionately be remembered as a cowboy and a horseman; next to his family, Ray's love of horses was the driving force in his life. Ray surrounded himself with the noble creature at an early age. His first horse was a Quarter Horse stallion named Playboy. He was a lifetime member of the AQHA and an active horse breeder. During his life Ray bought, sold, traded, trained and sought to educate others in the art of Western horsemanship.
For many years, the Ely Ranch, established in 1973 and located just a few miles south of Stover, Missouri, provided riding mounts for youth camps in various parts of the country. In particular, Ray's affiliation with the Word of Life Christian Camp in Pottersville, New York gave him a unique opportunity to pass along his gifts to others. As head wrangler he was able to teach kids, young adults and anybody willing to listen about horses. Helping to fulfill a child's dream or dispelling premeditated worries and fears gave him enormous satisfaction.
In retrospect, Ray was one of those hard-to-forget individuals; his rugged chiseled features usually shaded by his broad-brimmed cowboy hat made him a recognizable figure. Yet there was something else even more memorable about this would be Westerner and it wasn't his boots. Ray was a New Englander, and that geographical telltale eastern accent, coupled with his own unmistakable voice characteristic, adds an interesting dimension to his unforgettable character.
He will be missed by all who knew him. If there are horses in Heaven you'll find Ray at the stables, happy trails old-timer.
A memorial service to honor the life of Ray Ely, Jr., will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, October 9, at the Ely Ranch on Adobe Road south of Stover.