MALONE, Raymond

MALONE, Raymond Earl

Age 80, passed November 17th, 2021, after battling leukemia. His strength and determination to fight endured to the end. On January 19, 1941, he began his meager childhood in McNairy County, Tennessee, with late parents Robert Mack Malone and Annie Lorene Staton along with younger sister Brenda. In July 1960, age 19, Raymond joined the Air Force. It was when stationed at Schilling AFB, Salina, Kansas, that he met his wife Johnita. He and Johnita became prime examples of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps through sheer grit and strong work ethic. Ray traveled and lived around the world with his family, ending his 20 year Air Force career at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma in September 1980. He was a proud veteran having served a year in Vietnam. In the military, he made friends and memories that lasted a lifetime and earned the nickname "Hawkeye", for being good at darts. After the Air Force, Ray began his second career only selling Buicks. He sold cars in Oklahoma City until the mid-1980s when sales slumped due to the oil bust. After which he followed Johnita to a job at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio where he continued selling cars until Johnita passed away in 2001. It was through selling cars that he later met and married Bonnie. After

retiring from car sales, Ray enjoyed traveling, going to breakfast with his buddies and doing the daily newspaper sudoku puzzles. He took great pride in his yard and home. He was a southern boy at heart and loved his NASCAR. You knew not to disturb him when the race was on. Ray will be missed for his colorful stories, jokes, patriotism, deep loyalty and bold authenticity. He was unafraid to speak his mind and a true original diamond in the rough built from the school of tough love and hard knocks, courtesy of America's greatest generation. Trustworthy, honest, dependable and brave, he was a man to be admired. Ray lived a full life as a brother, husband, father and grandfather. He was a genuine friend to many, father-in-law to David, Ed and Brian, survived by wife Bonnie Malone, sister Brenda Malone, daughters Yvonne Ledford,

Ramona Norman and Roxanne Albright, grandchildren Corey, Victoria, Taylor, Allison, Samantha, Jackson, Harrison and Hamilton. He was dearly loved, left many memories and an

indelible print on our hearts. There will be a visitation and memorial service at the Tobias funeral home - Beavercreek Chapel, Ohio, Tuesday, November 23rd. Visitation, 5-6 PM

memorial service, 6-7 PM. Afterwards he will be transported to Bachelor-Faulkner-Dart-Surber Funeral Home in Belleville, Kansas and laid to rest beside Johnita, Balch Cemetery, rural Formoso, Kansas, Saturday, November 27th at 11AM.

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