Passed peacefully away in St. John's on April 25, 2014, after a short illness. Ray left Caplin Cove as a young man to join the RCMP in 1952. After stints in Halifax, Whitbourne, Harbour Grace, Bonavista, Bell Island, Grand Falls, Springdale, Corner Brook and St. John's, he retired as Staff-Sergeant in 1980, following which time he worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Ray was a man of various talents, being an intrepid builder, a keen fisher, an avid outdoorsman, an inventor of sorts and a consummate tinkerer. He spent his adult life surrounded by women (but for his male ally, the cherished family pooch Pe-ja), enduring and entertaining with his quick wit and dry humour. In later years, he and Noreen took great pleasure in exploring obscure nooks and crannies around the province and in building and escaping to their much-loved cabin at Roaches Line.

Ray was predeceased by his parents, Frederick Joseph and Ada Blanche (Reid), and by his beloved older brothers, Graham in 1942 and John (Jack) in 2010. Leaving to mourn his long-time companion, Noreen MacLennan; his daughters, Paula, Judy, Elizabeth and Andrea; sons-in-law, John Alexander and Dan McCurdy; grandchildren, Sarah (Chris), Laura (Curtis), Ben and Matthew; great-grandchildren, Jacob, Liam and Anna; sister-in-law, Asceneth (Sue), and her sons, Graham, Calvin and Danny and their families; and a number of other relatives and friends.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the nurses, doctors, staff and volunteers on 4SA in the Health Sciences Centre and at the PCU in the Miller Centre. At Ray's request, cremation has taken place and a family gathering will be held. In Ray's memory, donations may be made to the MS Society.

To sign the online memorial guest book, please visit www.barretts.ca.