Ray Franklin Beachy

Ray Franklin Beachy of Eden Prairie, Minnesota., January 31, 1919 - October 4, 2008.

Ray's cherished wife of 56 years, Mary (Amoruso) Beachy, passed away in 1998. Ray is survived by a son, Ronald Beachy; a daughter, Maureen Magnuson and her husband Mark; his five grandchildren: Melissa Jewart and her husband Eric, Molly Bingaman and her husband Rob, Christina Beachy, Michael Magnuson, and Erica Beachy; two brothers: William Beachy and his wife Catherine, Morris Beachy and his wife Frances; and a sister, Irene Radford. Ray was born in Mason City, Nebraska, his father, William Johnson Beachy, pastor of several small churches, passed away when Ray was just 12 years old, the eldest of the four children. He lived with relatives and always worked several jobs from cleaning the school cafeteria to selling magazines and Wearever cookware door-to-door. He never complained and later related how he developed his sales techniques with those early jobs.

Ray enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1939 and was assigned to an aviation squadron in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. There, at a USO dance, he met Mary (he called her Marie) Amoruso, whose family operated a small Italian restaurant in Newport. After one month of dating, they were engaged and were married on June 30, 1941. Ray served six years in the Navy during World War II, rising from seaman recruit to Chief Warrant Officer. After the Navy, Ray went to work for Investor's Diversified Services (IDS, later acquired by American Express). While with IDS, Ray and Marie lived in Oregon, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. They were devoted to each other and to their children and grandchildren. Ray and Marie were active members of Central Church in Worcester, MA and The Colonial Church of Edina, MN. They had been married for 56 years when Marie passed away in 1998. Ray continued to travel to visit his children and extended family. He had a wonderful reunion with Ron, Maureen & Mark, Bill & Catherine, Morris & Frances, and Irene in Minnesota just three weeks before he died. He was welcomed into heaven by Marie and their two infant sons: Baby Ray and David.

A service will be held at the Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St. in Worcester on Friday, October 10th at 11 a.m. Family and friends are invited to gather between 10 and 11 a.m. Burial immediately following at Mount Vernon Cemetery in West Boylston. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.

Ray's life will also be celebrated at a service in Minnesota on October 18th