Raymond A Hay

Raymond Hay passed away peacefully of old age on September 17, 2025.

Born January 6, 1930, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, to Ollie Blanche (Hare) and George Hue Hay, Ray endured a childhood marked by poverty and family violence. Growing up in a home without electricity or plumbing during the Great Depression, he experienced abuse and hardship. Those hardships shaped a man who was scrappy and inventive, outspoken in his faith, careful with every dollar, and determined to do whatever he could to give his children and grandchildren a home filled with fun, safety, and love.

A skilled machinist, Ray spent decades with Falls Engineering and Machine Company (FEMCO) before running his own shop in his garage. He married Barbara (Thomas) Hay, with whom he raised four children, and later found happiness again with his second wife, Laura Jean Leisinger. Both wives preceded him in death.

Ray was a devoted and energetic father and grandfather-teaching backyard baseball and golf, inventing homemade games, and taking the family on cross-country road trips. He loved jumping into every activity with his kids and grandkids and took special delight in beating them at the very games he taught, turning friendly competition into lasting memories of laughter and fun.

He is survived by his children Becky (b. 1948), Kathy (b. 1953), and Dave (b. 1955); his grandchildren Bob and Amy ("Shep") (children of Becky), Joel and Eve (children of Karen), Erica and Adam (Karen's stepchildren), Abigail, Jacob, and Jesse (children of Kathy), and Ian and Ryan (children of Dave); numerous great-grandchildren; and his sister Marjorie.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Karen (b. 1951), his parents, and siblings Alfred, Don, Earl, Evelyn, Harry, Jim, and Margaret.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Bible Fellowship, Tallmadge, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts to a charity of your choice.