Ray Shoemaker

Ray was born to Cliff and Virginia Shoemaker on March 24, 1927 in Los Angeles, CA. When he was eleven years old, his family moved to Wheatland, Wyoming where he grew up working on a farm. After many years in the farm, the family moved to Nampa, Idaho so the boys could attend Northwest Nazarene College. When Ray graduated from high school, Ray served as a Seaman First Class in the Navy in 1943. He married Donna Olmsted on June 9, 1949 in Nampa, ID and they had one son, Richard R. Shoemaker (Leslie) and three grandchildren: Bryan (Jennifer) Shoemaker, Nampa, ID; Jerad (Jamianne) Shoemaker Ridgefield, WA; Wendy (Lanson) Wood, Oregon City, OR.

Ray spent most of his working years as a truck driver. He was a dispatcher and truck driver for Shoemaker Trucking and he even lived in Portland, OR for a brief time driving the City bus. He worked for Garrett Trucking out of Pocatello, ID as a long haul driver during the 1960s. He also had the opportunity to work on the Alaska Pipeline driving for Sourdough Freight in the 70s. Ray and Donna moved back to Portland in 1978 to be closer to Rick and their grandchildren. He began working at Georgia Pacific Trucking Company and he retired in 1989.

After Donna's passing, God brought Dee Shoemaker into Ray's life. He married Dee on March 26, 1988. He gained five children: Kathy (J.D.) Gibson, Vancouver, WA; Dean Sprenger, Ridgefield, WA; Denise (Curt), McCall, Ridgefield, WA; Jeanene Sprenger (deceased), and Dave (Victoria) Sprenger, Battle Ground, WA. Ray also has a sister, Virginia (Loring) Beals, Boise, ID and brother Ralph (deceased) (LoisAnn) Shoemaker, Nampa, ID. Together Ray and Dee have eight grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren.

Ray and Dee loved to travel and for many years were able to go South in the winter with friends. When they were first married they traveled with a missionary group called 'S.O.W.E.R.S'. to help where they were needed at church camps throughout the United States. Ray loved his family and his church family. He was member of Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene in Vancouver, WA. A service will be held at the Hillcrest Church of Nazarene on Friday, June 19 at 11:00 A.M.

Ray was a loving husband, father, stepdad, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He will be missed by many, but we are thankful he is celebrating with the Lord today in heaven and we will see him again