PRETTY, Raymond Stewart – beloved husband and dear friend of Joy Goulding, proud and pleased father of Glenn (Patricia), Gregory (Jennifer), Geoffrey (Cindy) and Gena (Kevin Norbury) entered eternity on January 6, 2012. Ray also leaves six grandchildren: Jason (Melanie), Jordan, Stefanie, Shelley, Luke and Tess, as well as one great-grandson, Tristan.
Ray is the eldest child and only son of Adolphus Pretty and Ethel (Thorne) Pretty, originally and respectively from Dildo, TB and Long Cove, TB. Ray was born and raised in St. John’s and after schooling he became an avid reader spending many hours at the Gosling Memorial Library. He became a movie buff, especially the 40s and 50s, studied music- brass and symphonic, acquired a flair for writing poetry, with a bent on nature, and he was a fan of live theatre.
In the summer of 1949 Ray met Joy Goulding, then a nurse student, as well as an accomplished pianist. Ray has always remained that the purpose of his life was to meet and marry Joy, who became the mother of their four children. For a period of ten years the family was known as the JOYRAYS, performing at church, music festivals and other events. Their only daughter became a professional musician – pedagogic and performance. Ray played in three Salvation Army Brass Bands, the St. John’s Temple, Grand Falls Citadel and Stephenville Citadel.
To his wife — “When I am dead and buried and I heard your voice, beneath the sod my heart of dust would still rejoice!”