Raymond Joseph Winter's Obituary
Raymond Joseph Winter, life-long aviator, “slipped the surly bonds of earth” Easter morning after a valiant struggle with pancreatic cancer.
As a boy, Ray loved anything to do with flying from his plane kits to his big balsa wood models. He could identify any plane flying overhead just by its sound, whether it was an old Stearman biplane or a modern Citation jet.
He earned his pilot’s license at the age of 16 and went on to log 20,000 hours in the air. At 19, he joined the Army and served in Vietnam flying medivac missions in the iconic Huey helicopter. Upon his return to the states, he became a Chief Warrant Officer instructing new pilot recruits at the Army base in Mineral Wells, Texas. While in Texas, he met his future wife, Alene at a social event for recent flight graduates.
After the Army he pursued jobs that would keep him in the air and support his growing family, from delivering US mail across the Great Lakes to transporting oil rig workers off the Louisiana coast. Eventually he and his family moved to Atlanta when he became a corporate pilot for Georgia Pacific. He was a pilot-in-command for 15 years with GP.
He finished his flying career as a private jet pilot carrying show biz stars like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Usher and Jane Fonda. He was entirely professional about his brush with celebrities and would never spill the beans on any of them.
Ray was a model train aficionado. He loved a slow-burning cigar and “Calvin and Hobbes”.
He was an active member in the Substance Abuse Recovery Community, changing many lives for the better. Decades after his Viet Nam service he sought counselling for PTSD. He wanted to let veterans know that it’s never too late to seek help. It’s out there for you.
Ray is survived by his wife of 54 years, Alene Carter Winter; his sons, Christopher and Noel Winter and their spouses, Jennifer and Nancy. He found great delight in being “Grandpa” to 7-year-old, Jonathan. He is also survived by his sister, Marilyn Winter Ringo; niece, Alison Ringo Sundheim; many cousins; and his 98 year-old, Aunt Gert.
God speed, Ray!
A funeral service honoring Ray's life will be held Saturday, April 6, 3:00 PM in Davis-Struempf Chapel.
The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 3:00 PM before the service.
If you would like to donate in Ray’s honor, we have selected the following charity that focuses on pancreatic cancer research: Lustgarden Foundation, https://lustgarten.org
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