Obituary: Ray Statler
January 19, 1947 – January 24, 2022
Ray Gifford Statler passed away Monday January 24, 2022. He was 75.
Ray was born January 19, 1947 to Thurman and Goldie Statler in Cape Girardeau, MO. His family moved to Colorado and he graduated from Arvada High in 1965. He married Janet Avery on December 15, 1966. Ray and Janet had a son Bob Statler (Tobi) of Fruita and a daughter Gail Jones (John) of Taylor TX. Ray had two grandchildren Miranda and Jake and four great grandchildren Avery, Claire, Elliot and Carter.
Ray served in the Air Force (1965-1969) as a Sargent and spent thirteen months in Korea. Ray moved his family from Denver to Rifle in 1978 and shortly after opened Ray’s Auto Body which he owned for thirteen years. He was a proud small business owner, but his real passion was building cars from the ground up. He built numerous street rods and car shows are where you would find Ray and Janet. Ray liked to fish, jeep and side-by-side, but it was always the street rod and the car show that kept his interest. In 2011 Ray and Janet moved to Grand Junction, closer to more car shows.
Preceding Ray in death is his parents Thurman and Goldie Statler.
Survivors include his sister Pansy, wife Janet, son Bob, daughter Gail, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Services will be at Veterans Memorial Cemetery on February 3 at 1:00. In lieu of flowers go cruising listening to the Beach Boys.
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