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RAY FARLEY Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for RAY FARLEY
Sponsored by Lee Wolfe & Geno Baer, Squad Members Viet Nam1966-67.
Ethel Messick White
April 7, 2019
Ray, you will always live in the hearts of all of your Lincoln friends. You always had a smile and were fun! Those of us left on Earth were blessed to call you friend!! Our love!!!
March 1, 2015
It can be so hard to face the first year without your loved one, but the love of family and friends can carry you through.
December 21, 2011
Uncle Ray I want you to know how much I loved you and How much I will miss you. I was just thinking last night how strange it will be not to talk to you on Christmas day like we have done for soooo many years. I know you are watching over us all and would be so proud of all these new addition to the family. We have a Farley baby now and she would be soo spoiled I'm sure. RIP and know how much you are missed. I Love You Traci
April 22, 2011
To all of Ray's family, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy. Ray was one of my classmates and friends growing up in the small community of Lincoln, DE. We laughed, played ball, and danced. I have nothing but good memories of Ray! He was a wonderful, cheerful friend to all of us! His interests back then seem to have followed him into adulthood. I cherish all of my fond memories! With my deepest sympathy, Ethel Messick White
April 21, 2011
Ray was a great brother-in-law and a welcomed addition to the Vestri family.
He was a dedicated and loving husband to my beloved sister Barbara, and always stood by her!
I have great memories of when he and Barb were dating while stationed at Quonset as a Sea Bee; he would take me fishing when I was still a young boy(seemingly ions ago.)
Then, I had the opportunity of making the cross-country drive with him in just 4 1/2 days when they uprooted and moved to the San Diego area, complete with 21 foot Ryder truck loaded to the max plus new car in tow...great experience and one I will never forget!
Eager, yet easy going; hard-worker, yet dedicated family man, whose time has come to rejoin my sister who was taken all too soon and his other loved ones in Heaven...
My deepest condolences to his boys(my nephews) Nathan, Shawn and Mike.
Johanna; you were there to fill his void and provide the peace and closure he so needed after my sister passed. You picked up where my sister left off and your tireless efforts caring for him until the very end will someday be rewarded...
In God's time, we will all be together again!
God Bless,
Russ Vestri
Mary Grover
April 18, 2011
Ray was a Prince among men. Always ready to help you or tell you how best to do something. We will miss you so much. Your smiling face and wonderful way you lived your daily life. We love you Ray Farley and hope you get to see Grandpa Louis and Grandma Pauline. oh and you will get to meet Auntie Eva, she is a kick and you should enjoy her humor. Love Mary Grover
Jeff Lowe
April 18, 2011
My dear friend Ray Farley passed away on Sunday April 10th.
This was his second bout with cancer.
His first was when he had just retired and then a few months later, wham, lymphoma.
He recovered and I met him soon after the first dealing with cancer.
I sold a fly fishing combo on craigslist and Ray as always was enthusiastic about giving it a try.
He never had fly fished before but that never stopped him.
He has fished all over North America on both coasts and a ton of experience on the East Cape.
After I met him, I immediately liked him. He loved fishing and was always so positive with never a bad word for anyone except maybe for politicians! LOL
As i sold him the fly combo I mentioned that I have been a kayak fisherman for many years. I told him that I have a friend that has several kayaks and he could give it a try.
We went out after a few weeks and after the first day he was so excited that he bought a kayak right after that the very next day!
He and I became good fishing buddies mostly fishing the south bay and coronado. I made him laugh when I would say that the ghost shrimp we used for the bonefish was like crack cocaine for them!
He would put out at least three rods with the ghost shrimp and really loved catching the bonefish!
Our friendship grew when I was hired in Alaska to cook at an exclusive fishing resort. Since I worked there, I was able to get him a good deal for him to come up and fish with me for a week in early September 2008.
That week of fishing was the absolute best fishing he had ever experienced in his life! We caught over 70 silver salmon the first 2 days and were kind of wiped out from exhaustion!!
We switched to fly fishing thinking it would be a little slower but it was just about as wide open. Literally all you needed to do was to cast the fly about 5 feet in front of you and you were hooked up!
I moved on to another lodge and Ray went up to Alaska again and had a great time there also.
Ray loved all kinds of fishing whether it was surf fishing for perch, pickerel fishing in fresh water, marlin fishing, salmon fishing, etc, etc.
He had his second bout with cancer the end of the summer 2010.
Treatment was going very well up until he was going to get a bone marrow transplant. If that went well then he would have maybe up to a months recovery and prognosis looked good....
Unfortunately, a new brain tumor appeared and Ray's condition worsened slowly but surely.
He remained positive and upbeat and still joked around with his family and close friends even though he was in great pain most of the time.
He was such a positive spirit you never knew he was hurting or he just wouldn't let you because he didn't want to get you down.
He was a bright light in my fishing experiences and I am sorry to ramble but I think this is helping me to cope with his loss since I am still in shock and denial.
So I guess what I want to say is to cherish your fishing buddies and tell them how much you appreciate them.
At Ray's memorial service he had this Fisherman's Prayer
"I pray that I may live to fish
Until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast,
I then most humbly pray:
When in the Lord's great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged
Big enough to keep."
RIP Ray Farley I loved you as a true friend, gentleman, and fisherman
Lisa DiMaggio
April 17, 2011
Shawn and family,
Your father was such a funny wonderful man and my thoughts are with all of you in this difficult time.
My love and condolences,
Lisa DiMaggio
Shawn Farley
April 16, 2011
The Eulogy I delivered for my Father.
I want to let you all know that it warms my heart to see all of you here to say good bye to my father.
Newell Raymond Farley was born to Wilson and Lottie Farley on January 12th 1944. He was one of 4. Sister Helen and older brother Richard and twin brother Robert. He grew up like a lot of boys in Delaware did... active in Scouts.....soft shell crabbing.... and often making trips to Rehoboth Beach.
After high school rather than waiting for a draft Ray joined the United States Navy. His goal in the service was to become a lithographers mate....but Uncle Sam saw things a little different for Ray and he became a See Bee and learned his trade.
While in the service Ray served in Guantanamo Bay.....Vietnam..... and Rhode Island where he met my mother Barbara. They were wed on June 17th 1967. After the service dad worked construction .....and with his 2 hands built his first home to start raising his family. On February 4 1974 Ray became a father to Nathan Vincent Farley and a year later I was born on march 17th 1975.
With the harsh winters of the North East Dad knew that California would be more suitable for his career. In 1978 mom with us 2 boys boarded a plane bound for San Diego......and Dad set off for a cross country trip to start his new life with his family in warm and sunny San Diego.
He started work as a general laborer for Melhorn construction were he started perfecting his trade. In 1980 dad completed his 2nd home and fathered a third son Michael Raymond Farley on May 4th 1983. Dad had long since achieved the AMERICAN DREAM. With a wife and 3 boys and a house that was above and beyond what any man could ask for.....dad still wanted more for himself and his family.
In the early 90's Dad built his final home. The place where he wanted to grow old in. A master piece. He was finally where he wanted to be. Sadly on April 18th 1993 my mother passed. I remember Marty Melhorn sent a basket to the house .....and in the basket was a card and a check and that check had dads pay for all the days he had missed due to moms illness and death. That solidified dads loyalty to Melhorn.
Dad met Johanna in September of 1993. She breathed renewed life into my Father, They would often go dancing on the weekends........at 18 I remember telling my dad "you kids have fun.....don,t stay out to late". Over the next several years Dads love for Johanna grew......and dads zest for life really started to become a focal point for him. Dad and Johanna would go skiing and vacation as often as they could but dads favorite pass time was fishing.... From fly fishing in Alaska to deep sea fishing in Mexico......catching everything from minnows to marlin.....Dad loved to fish.
In January 2007 Dad retired from Melhorn and didn't waste any time. Within a week of retirement Dad was up in Washington scoping out new fishing areas to explore .......Just Days after arriving in Washington he was diagnosed with lymphoma, He made a speedy recovery, and was living life to the fullest. In the fall of 2010 the lymphoma returned and dad started treatment once again. October he had been submitted to ICU at Kaiser and went from Live support to back home in 1 week. Despite the ICU...... spirits were high and doctors were confident. This past January while dad was at the City of Hope receiving his last Treatments.....they discovered the cancer had spread. On April 10th 2011 Newell Raymond Farley drew his last breath on earth.
You will be remembered and missed by all.
Johanna Peterson
April 16, 2011
Johanna’s letter to Ray that was read at the Funeral:
My Dearest Farley,
Almost 18 years ago you literally danced your way into my heart. We were line dancing and two-stepping our way around the kitchen, the patio, and local dance floors. Fun and laughter was the prescription that we both needed to immerge from the somberness of our individual lives at that time.
Over these past years I have been filled with many memories. Some are sweet and very tender; others are exciting and adventurous. More recently they have become difficult and heart wrenching. None the less, they comprise the fullness of our two lives together. The good, along with the bad have brought our love to a pinnacle unknown to me in the past.
We knew when my mother passed our time together would be overflowing. We had many plans of retirement activities. We had so many places to go and people to see. Our plans were snuffed with the return of the lymphoma, but not our love and commitment to each other. Your illness allowed me to express my love to you in a very different way.
Last week at the Hospice Care Center, Jen brought Julia and Joaquin to see you. I met them in the parking lot and took Julia’s hand and told her that you were getting ready to go to heaven. I didn’t want her to be frightened… you really weren’t looking like your handsome self these days.
While in your room she was quiet as she gazed at you. Jen said after they left you were all Julia could talk about. “Papa Ray is going to heaven to see Jesus. And he is going to be a brand new grown up man. And he is going to run and play again.” On and on she went. Ah, the wisdom of a four year old.
Yes, I want you to run and play again… and fish. I know your body had been pretty well beaten up and could no longer run and play here. It was time for your soul to return home to heaven where you could be that brand new grown up man that Julia spoke about.
I will miss you until my turn comes to go home to heaven. Then you and I will dance again. The memories I have tucked away in my heart will sustain me. I have a wonderful family and supportive friends to help me. Recently you said to me, “You’re strong, you can do it.” Yes, you’re right. I can do this. Until we meet again. I Love you Farley… forever.
April 15, 2011
Ray was my squad leader in South VietNam. Our squad was made up of Dave Swenson, Lee Wolfe and Smitty. I lost touch with Ray and reconnected with him a few years ago, and was lucky enough to visit him in San Diego when I worked there. My prayers are with Johanna and the rest of the family.
Pam Pethoud
April 14, 2011
We got to know Ray thru the relationship and marriage of our daughter Adriana to Shawn. We are so happy to have had the pleasure of knowing him. He will be deeply missed.
Al (Jr.) Lambka
April 14, 2011
I went to school with Ray.
My prayers go out to Bob and the rest of the family.
Rose Warren
April 14, 2011
To Ray's Family & Friends
It has simply been so very many years since either of us have seen Ray.....but we grew up with him and his brother Bob in this little town of Lincoln.
Ray was always such a special young person and certainly fun to be around.
We both extend our very deepest sympathy to each and every one of you.
Most Sincerely,
Rose (Messick) & Charles (Butch) Warren
Gus Bronson
April 14, 2011
Ray Farley was the father of my good friend Shawn, I only met him once and knew right away "He was a fine human Being". Shawn My prayers are with you.
Gus
Dave & Ginger Nichols
April 13, 2011
Ray was a class mate of mine and we had a very close friendship until we lost touch after graduation. We "Found" each other several years ago now and remained as close as you can with him on one coast and me on the other. He sure was a great person. They don't come any better. We will miss him greatly. Take care ole buddy and catch one for me!!
Lee Wolfe
April 13, 2011
Ray was my squad leader in the Navy Seabees in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. He was a good, encouraging friend. We played hard and worked hard. After we got out of the service, we lost contact until my grandson found another member of the squad, Geno Baer, on Facebook. He in turn gave me contact information for Ray, that was last year 2010. We spent time on the phone catching up and reminiscing every couple weeks. We were looking forward to getting together this year but God had a different plan. My condolences to Johanna and Ray's three sons.
Robert McAnelly
April 13, 2011
Ray was our brother-in-law and we've known him forty-five years. A finer man hasn't been born. He married my wife's sister, Barbara, only to loose her to cancer at an early age. He served his country in Chu Lai, Vietnam as a Seabee and was a hero although he didn't speak of it very much. Hero's rarely do. He was a good man and we will miss him very much.
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