Ray Leslie Stansbury's Obituary
Ray Leslie Stansbury
Ray Leslie Stansbury of St. Helens died April 4, 2009. He was 83
Mr. Stansbury was born February 20, 1926, at home in St. Helens, Oregon to Silas T. and Winefred Rowe Stansbury.
The youngest of eight children, he attended McBride Elementary, which was located on Highway 30 and Vernonia Road. At the age of 13 his family moved to a 60-acre farm in Deer Island, where he attended Canaan School during the sixth, seventh, and eighth, grades. Like many of his generation he did not attend high school.
In 1943, during World War II, he was drafted and asked for immediate induction into the U.S. Army. A paratrooper, he went to France. From there his unit was flown into Germany, over the Rhine River, and air dropped in one of the final, important Allied offensives of the war. During the occupation he remained in Germany for a time. While on his way back to the United States he was assigned to fight in the Pacific when the war ended. After the war he returned to St. Helens.
On January 4, 1949, he married Margaret Paulson. The couple had six sons.
Employed at many places, he worked at the Firtex plant, Boise Cascade, Richfield Oil, Farny Truck, and the Columbia County Road Department from which he retired.
Throughout these years he also worked at The Chronicle in St. Helens for his father-in-law, and later at Paulson Printing Company for two of his sons until recently.
For a number of years he coached Little League baseball, and was a flagman at the local racetrack in Deer Island during the 50s and 60s.
Always loving his cars, he enjoyed doing mechanics on them.
Also very handy, he would help his friends, sons, and relatives with building projects.
At home he liked planting a few vegetables in his yard, driving his red Mustang convertible, as well as, watching sports and cooking on television.
In addition he was a Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Mariners fan.
A great friend and father, he took pride and pleasure in his family, which grew bigger over the years.
Ray is survived by his sons Paul, Ken, and Todd, all of St. Helens, Jeff of Gresham, Dwight of Marlton, New Jersey, and Lee Pete of Clarinda, Iowa; five daughters-in-law, 15 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his brothers Vernon Bud, Robert Buck, and Kenneth; and sisters Mildred Smalley, Hazel Seal, Margaret Red Woolstenhulme, and Iris Tootie Potter.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, April 13, 2009 at Columbia Funeral Home in St. Helens, Oregon.
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