Raymond Slater

RAYMOND JOSEPH SLATER, JR., aged 86 years, of Solon, died on Aug. 10, 2009 at home. He is survived by his beloved partner of over 20 years, Gertrude (Trudy) Sattler. He joins his beloved wife Phyllis (nee Daugherty) and their first daughter Shirley, his mother Florence (nee Dyer), father Raymond Joseph, Sr., and his beloved son-in-law Michael Simoson. He is survived by his six children, Suzanne Simoson, Sally Wilson (Jim), Raymond Joseph III (Ann Barbato), Patricia Zeitz (John), Sharon McKenney (Roger Kellough) and Robert (Freida). Ray is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Ray Slater graduated from Cathedral Latin, then Case in 1947. He was President of the AIEE and Lambda Clubs. He served in WW II and when the Army distributed tests near the end of the training cycle, of 2500 mostly college students, Ray placed first which enabled him a choice between Officers Candidate School Army, OCS Paratrooper and OCS Signal Corps, in addition to the Army Specialized Training Program. He chose the latter and studied at Michigan State College for the next 9 months. This was followed by an assignment to Wright Field in Dayton, OH. as an Army Air Corps research specialist where he ensured radar units throughout the European theatre were armed with the latest blocking frequencies for German radar. Ray also was heavyweight champ of his regiment.

After World War II, Ray taught Physics at Fenn College (which is now Cleveland State).

He had a lucrative career as a business owner and Manufacturers Rep for various technical industries in the Mid-West. As National Sales Manager for Gilmore Industries he was able to sell NASA the test stand which measures the thrust of the F1 engines which took Saturn to the moon.

His skills and hobbies were vast. While in high school, Ray was a champion roller racer. As a member of the Cleveland Skating Club, Ray played on their traveling tennis team and later managed the Cleveland Hts. Tennis Team. He formed and was President of the Cleveland Hts. Skating Club for 11 years and later achieved his Pre-Gold level in Ice Dancing.

Ray was an avid pistol marksman winning over one hundred medals including dozens of first place honors. Ray joined the Babes of 1916 back in the 80s and managed one of the softball teams for 5 years. He was a private pilot once owning his own single engine open cockpit PT-19. At age 75, Ray decided to pursue a multi-engine airplane rating and was able to successfully accomplish this in short order. The examiner even complimented Ray on his abilities to handle the airplane in an above average manner. He later became an avid model airplane builder and pilot. Ray earned his Captains license and piloted his cabin cruiser with his family throughout the Great Lakes area. Ray had a membership in the Chagrin Lagoons Yacht Club for many years as well as the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club. He was also an Amateur Radio enthusiast for 60 years (W8WAH) and has contacted 350 radio entities throughout the world.

In his latter years, Ray and Trudy developed a rather large collection of daylilies with over 300 varieties.

Our Dad was a fantastic (one of a kind) Son, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and will be sorely missed until we all join him in Heaven.

Kindly, no contributions or flowers.

Family will receive friends on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009 from 10:00 11:00 AM at Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church, 32001 Cannon Rd., Solon, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM.

Following a reception, the procession will depart for burial with Military Honors at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland.