Raymond Argyle

My amazing Father Ray Argyle passed peacefully on January 26, 2026, after a 6 year survival run from Pancreatic Cancer. I, his only child and daughter Cathleen was by his side when he passed. He had just turned 85.

Ray was born January 15th, 1941, in Cando, North Dakota to Roy Argyle, and June Eileen Argyle. His father Roy passed a month before Ray was born.

He grew up in Cando, North Dakota, then later in Devils Lake, North Dakota. He spent summers helping his stepfather on the farm driving tractors and general farm work. He grew fond of working on the farm and took great pride in farming in the 1950's.

He attended junior college in Devils Lake, then University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. After one semester, he transferred to North Dakota State University and graduated in 1964 with a BA in the Biological Sciences. This is where he met the love of his life Diane. He went on to attend Colorado State University where he earned his master's degree in the same discipline. They married in 1965 and had one daughter Cathleen in 1966. Ray held different jobs in the fish and wildlife arena which landed the family in Crawford, Nebraska, Spearfish, South Dakota and Marion, Alabama. In 1972, a research fisheries biologist position opened up in Ann Arbor Michigan at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Center, later called the US Geological Survey - Great Lakes Science Center.

Ray attended and presented papers at many research conferences with regards to research on Lake Huron. He also spent a great deal of time on the boat in Cheboygan and Alpena gathering data. In 1985 he was invited by NOAA to take part in the manned Submersible Johnson Sea-Link Project. He gathered data regarding hydro acoustics and fish sizes, while in the submersible and the data was published in National Undersea Research Program Summary in 1988.

In 2004, he was recognized by the Muskegon Chronicle as the "Fish and Chips" guy. For 5 years he studied the daily habits of Lake Huron's fish using data from computer chips surgically implanted inside them. A surgical procedure he did himself. As an added incentive, anyone who caught one of these fish and found a chip, would be paid $100 for turning the chip over to the science center for data collection.

Ray had many interests throughout his life. He was a fantastic wood worker, and created puzzles, pens, cutting boards and wooden model cars and cranes. He was an aviation enthusiast and spent many summers in July watching planes in Oshkosh, WI with his grandson and friends. Hetook clock repair classes, which began his hobby of clock repair and collecting clocks. He was an avid runner for many years participating in the Dexter Ann Arbor Run, and Briarwood Run. He loved winter, Skiing andsledding and spent time with me skiing when I was growing up and I share his love for snow. I guess if you grow up in North Dakota you should be partial to winter. He also knew how to fix just about anything from electrical, plumbing, cars and home repairs. If there was a tool he needed to do a job, he found it and bought it. In the mid 80's he decided he was going to learn how to climb and went on a climbing expedition to Rattlesnake Gorge, in Niagara, Canada with some friends he had met. He found it exhilarating to be able to climb up cliffs and scale a mountain.

Later, along with Diane, he decided to take up scuba diving. They were soon both certified and the world was their oyster. Literally. They went diving around the world, Hawaii, Caribbean, Fiji, Australia just to name a few. Moving towards retirement he would take his grandkids and daughter to Hawaii where he and Diane had a condo. His grandkids learned to snorkel and identify Pacific Ocean fish, as well as learn an appreciation for volcanos, rainforests, Hawaiian culture and helicopter rides. Ray was an electronic gadget junkie and loved electronics from TV's to handheld voltage testers. He never met an electronic device he didn't like, APPLE, Google and the latest Alexa gadgets were a favorite. Oh did I mention beer? Anyone who knew Ray, knew he liked his beer.

Ray also liked to cook and made amazing BBQ ribs, stuffed peppers, brisket and anything on a grill and let us not forget his Fish fry's and Ray's Hush Puppies.

In retirement Kiwanis found Ray as he reconnected with an old neighborhood friend Bob Gray. He dedicated a lot of time to Kiwanis, working in the electronic department with Bill Robb and later at the cash register. He maintained perfect meeting and project attendance for over 15 years. He met and had a lot of great friends through Kiwanis.

Most of all he was an honest, kind, caring, compassionate down-to-earth kind of guy. A beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and friend. If you needed a ride to the airport or if you needed to borrow something, all you

had to do was ask. He never forgot his North Dakota heritage and always felt at home when going back for a visit. North Dakotans have a generosity about them…better known as "How Fargo of you". He loved his cat Zoey, who survives him (let us not forget Myrtle too) along with his only daughter, Cathleen, and his grandchildren, Caitlyn Luckhardt, Adam Luckhardt, his sister in Law Adelle Jacoby and niece Heather Jacoby Higginson of B.C. Canada. cousins Malva Waters, Carol Haskins. Let us not forget his long-time neighborhood friend and companion of late

Mary Hill and Family who made Ray's life a lot more fun and enjoyable for the past 6 years.

Ray's wife Diane, pre-deceased him in 2019 after 53 years of marriage. His Nephew Jason Jacoby passed in 2012 and Brother in law Michael Jacoby in 2024.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held at Nie Funeral Home, located at 3767 West Liberty, Ann Arbor on Saturday March 21, 2026, with visitation beginning at 1 PM - 2 PM with the service from 2PM - 3 PM. In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations may be made to Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundation/Finish Line Scholarships in memory of Ray Argyle.