Raymond 'Ray' Lorenzo Bonney

Raymond 'Ray' Lorenzo Bonney, 65, died Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008, from natural causes in Bonners Ferry.

Ray was born June 5, 1943, in Kalispell, Mont., to Virgil R. and Mildred E. Rhine Bonney. The family lived in Coram at the time and moved to Whitefish, Mont., after his dad became ill with cancer.

After Ray's father passed, the family moved to the Hamilton area for two years and then to a logging camp near Missoula. (His mother had married Erik Straarup in 1950).

They then moved to Zadra Logging camp in the Happy's Inn area Libby, Mont. Edward attended the little Red Schoolhouse at Happy's Inn and then Libby High School.

Ray had lived at Carol Robert's home before moving to an assisted living facility in Bonners Ferry.

In spite of his many disabilities, Ray had a very upbeat personality and loved to visit with friends and acquaintances alike, especially when it was sunny and hot and he could sit out in the sun. Rain and snow didn't keep him home for long.

He ran around town in his electric wheelchair with flags flying and he loved eating in the restaurants and shopping. Ray enjoyed taking pictures of birds and flowers and feeding the neighborhood squirrels.

Ray is survived by his sister, Phyllis Hogue and her husband Emery of Libby; nephews Darryl Hogue (Kathy) of Morrison, Ill., and their four children; and Daniel Hogue (Sabin) and their son of Yakima, Wash.; a half brother Lee Rhine (Marinell) of American Falls, and their four children and families; a sister-in-law, Joan Persicke of St. James, Mo., and her six children and grandchildren; and many cousins in the Kalispell and Whitefish areas.

Ray was preceded in death by his nephew, Dean Hogue, in 1995; his half brother, Robert Persicke in 2005; and mother and stepfather, Mildred and Erik Straarup.

Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept.4, 2008, at Seventh Day Adventist Church in Libby. Visitation was Wednesday at Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home.