David Charles "Ray" Erb

Groton - David "Ray" Charles Erb passed away peacefully on the morning of Monday, July 4, 2016, he was one month shy of his 95th birthday.

Ray was a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather to his three children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Ray was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Lillian; and an infant son, Geoffrey.

Ray spent most of his childhood in Long Island, Hartford and New London and eventually settled in Groton. Ray attended Fitch Senior High School where he was a three sport captain in football, basketball and baseball. Ray met his wife Lillian after a Fitch vs. Stonington football game, Lil was a cheerleader for Stonington. They were married in 1943 and they lived together in Noank ever since, raising their three children, David, Dana and Gregory.

Lil and Ray loved boating and spent many hours on Fishers Island Sound either blue fishing in the race, spending the night at Watch Hill or camping on Mystic Island. Ray served in World War II and was stationed in Pearl Harbor days after the bombing. In the early years, Lil and Ray ran a local dry cleaner in Noank, a business which Lil kept afloat while Ray was oversees. Ray returned from the war and worked for General Dynamics for nearly 50 years, he started as a pipefitter and then made his way up to the hill to become a draftsmen. He loved to draw and was always available to sketch with the kids.

Over the years, Ray and Lil had several boats of various sizes and spent many weekends on the water with their family. Ray would come home from work on a Friday night and Lil would have the boat packed and the kids ready to go, they would not return to the dock until late Sunday night. Ray would do anything for his family and in the late 1970s he and Lil learned how to snow ski, they were both in their mid-50s. In the winter months ski trips replaced the boating trips of the summer and they spent many years skiing with the family through-out New England. After the years of boating and skiing passed, Lil and Ray began to vacation in Siesta Key, Fla., finally Ray was able to sit on the beach and relax without having to secure an anchor or drive a car for six hours in the snow. They loved Siesta Key and had an unforgettable time on the beach with their friends and family.

Ray is survived by his son, David, and his wife, Joann, their two children, Ryan and Amanda and Ryan's son, Jackson; his daughter, Dana Kubachka, and her husband, Joseph, their three children, Jodie, Amy and John, Jodie's son, Ryland and John's two daughters, Kendal and Mia; his son, Gregory, and his wife, Shelley, and their two sons, Jacob and Jason.

Ray always seemed to have a smile on his face and had a great sense of humor, he dedicated his life to his wife and family, they were his world and he loved that. We never really knew too much about Ray's past as he preferred to listen, rather than talk about himself. The nickname Ray is somewhat of a family mystery, we never knew how he got that name. We used to kid him that he was a little "Ray" of sunshine and he most definitely was to all of us. Ray will be greatly missed but he is finally back with his longtime love, Lil.

The family will have a private ceremony and burial at Noank Valley Cemetery.

Donations may be made in Ray's name to the Child & Family Agency of SECT, 255 Hempstead St., New London, CT 06320.

Please visit www.mysticfuneralhome.com to post any comments for the family.