Raymond Robert Klimczak

Raymond Robert Klimczak December 26, 1938 – September 5, 2025 Raymond Klimczak lived life with a twinkle in his eye. He was always quick to see the humor in any situation and share it with anyone, whether he knew them or not. Ray was the fifth of eight children and grew up in the Bucktown area of Chicago when it was a working-class, primarily Polish neighborhood. He joined the Army at 19, serving until 1959. After coming home to Chicago, Ray met Millicent Copp, who became his wife of 30 years, and welcomed their daughters Kris and Karen. While raising his family, he earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Loop Junior College. Ray's engineering career took him from Chicago to Syracuse, New York, and then to Atlanta, Georgia, with a brief period spent in Saudi Arabia. After retiring from a long career with the State of Georgia, Ray moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. He loved exploring new places in the West and often had unplanned adventures before the days of cell phones. However, the ocean always called to him, so in 2003, Ray relocated to Sarasota on Florida's Gulf Coast. Ray particularly enjoyed the fishing villages and piers that he referred to as "Old Florida." While in Florida, he enjoyed many happy times at the beach and in the water with his friends and family. In his retirement, Ray constantly tinkered with anything mechanical and happily pursued his hobby of finding great bargains, especially draft beer for less than $3. Ray was a big fan of Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip and had enough Snoopy memorabilia to open a museum. In many ways, Ray embodied Snoopy's imagination, determination, and optimism. He understood the importance of dreaming big, never gave up in the face of adversity, and always took the time to enjoy life's little pleasures. Raymond Klimczak passed away on September 5, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 86. He is survived by his daughters Kris Hardison (James) and Karen Klimczak (Tom Bolger), his granddaughters Zoie, Skylar, and Quinn Hardison, his sister Jennie Dziubinski, his brother Don Klimczak, his sisters-in-law Janet Dixon, Marilyn Copp, and Phyllis Copp, and his beloved friend of more than 20 years, Lisa Cotner. A private gathering of his immediate family was held on September 10, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona. His ashes will be scattered in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Anna Maria Island, Florida. Memorial gifts in Ray's name can be made to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (https://mote.org/support/memorials-tributes/). Please input Raymond Klimczak in the "Dedicate this donation" field so your contribution is directed to the Manatee Research and Rescue Program.