V. Ray Summers

V. Ray Summers, our "Raydad," returned home to his Heavenly Father on July 23, 2011. His 85 years represent a full and happy life that was lived in the constant service of those he loved.
Ray was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 18, 1926. He graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City. He then served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II. Following his military service, Ray served a mission for the LDS church in the East Central States Mission.
Ray married Jeanie Ray on June 29, 1949 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He deeply loved his Jeanie. They spent their entire lives together living in Utah. They lived in Ft. Duchesne, Roosevelt, and Provo before finally settling in Hyrum--a place they felt they could truly call home. Ray remained in Hyrum until the last four years of his life, when he moved to River Heights.
Ray spent the initial four years of his marriage working in the Detectives Bureau of the Salt Lake City Police Department. He then worked with the Ute Indian Tribe as the Recreational Program Director. While working there, he initiated an arts and crafts effort to revive and preserve tribal traditions. Following that experience, Ray became qualified as both a medical technician and an x-ray technician. He worked in several areas related to those fields. He worked as Administrator of the Roosevelt LDS Hospital; he helped establish an outpatient health clinic to accommodate members of the Ute Indian Tribe; he also worked with student health services at Brigham Young University. His medical interests eventually led him to a job with a major insurance company where he worked within the medical/legal claims division. He worked as a claims adjustor until his retirement.
Ray and Jeanie had six children and were totally devoted to their family, always supporting and encouraging individual attainment. In their earlier years they loved to camp, backpack, and climb mountains. However, duty to God, country, and education was their motivation.
Ray loved to learn. He was a deep thinker who was always fascinated by the complexities of life and the universe. He enjoyed sharing his profound thoughts and feelings with anyone, particularly his family.
Anyone who knew Ray also knew that he had an unshakeable testimony of his Savior Jesus Christ. Up until the end, there was nothing more important to him than his faith. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a bishop in Provo and also served in bishoprics and as a high councilman in Hyrum. He spent six years of his later life serving in the baptistry of the Logan Temple. His time at the temple was very important to him, and in addition to his baptistry service, he attended the temple often.
Raydad loved his family and was a fun grandpa. He loved to laugh, and he loved to tease. He had an endearing sense of humor that could always lighten any mood. Even as his health began to fail, he always found a way to turn any hardship into something worth laughing about. He was, indeed, a true example of one who faithfully endured to the end. His legacy of faith and reverence for God's creations will endure for generations to come.
Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife Jeanie, who he has spent the past seven years missing dearly. He is survived by his six children: David (Jo) Summers, Heber City; Shannon (Alasdair) Robertson, Bicknell; Jami (Steve) Thunell, River Heights; Greg Summers, Logan; Lisa (Karl) Shupe, River Heights; Tim (Elaina) Summers, Cheyenne, Wyoming; twenty-three grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; and his sister, Becky Davidson, Salt Lake City.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 12:00 pm in the Providence Stake Center, 800 South 600 East, River Heights, with Bishop Rod Rounds conducting. Friends may call at the Allen-Hall Mortuary Tuesday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 pm and at the church Wednesday from 10:30 - 11:45 am. Interment will be in the Hyrum City Cemetery.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.allenmortuaries.net