Ray Arland Baltzell

Ray Arland Baltzell of Oregon, Ohio peacefully passed away, surrounded by family, on April 11, 2018 just a month short of his ninetieth birthday. 

Ray was born in Van Wert, Ohio to Opal Kline and Gerald Baltzell on May 11, 1928.  He attended Clay-Genoa High School, was captain of the county champion football team, was a member of the state champion relay team and graduated in 1948.Ray married his high school sweetheart, Arlene (Wilkinson) Baltzell,on September 23, 1950.  He graduated from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois with a major in biology. Ray was in the army during the Korean War.  He worked for General Mills for 35 years.  After his retirement Ray and his wife Arlene built their dream home on 80 acres in the bluff country of Minnesota and lived there for 22 years.  They moved back to Ohio to be closer to family in 2014.

Ray was an avid Ohio State fan.  He enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting, especially with his dear friends who shared his love of those pursuits.  Ray loved to travel and visited almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.  He had also visited Canada, Bolivia and Peru.  Ray enjoyed working as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity for 22 years.  He sought ways to reach out to help people and believed that all people deserve to be treated with fairness and respect.  Ray was especially proud of his family and often said to Arlene “We did good”.

Ray was survived by his wife Arlene; his daughters Cynthia (Edward) Green, Jenifer (Bryan) Loskorn and Carmie (Bill) Pettingell; his sister Jeri Rae(Mike) Proch; his grandchildren Chansri Green, Joshua (Angie) Baltzell, Kaitlyn Loskorn, Hank Loskorn, Thanh (Lieu) Tran, Long Nguy, and Au (Alicia) Nguy; his great grandchildren Jackson, Grayson, Bradley, Sarah, Gabrielle, Austin, Willow, Meadow, Symphony, Madeline, Ben and many wonderful nieces and nephews.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents Opal Kline and Gerald Baltzell, his stepfather Clare Kline, his beloved stepmother Bertha Baltzell, his brother Robert (Emma) Baltzell and his sister Evelyn (Paul) Arnett.

Our family appreciates the care and support that Ray received from the staff of Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Lane Park Assisted Living and the Lutheran Home.

There will be a celebration of Ray’s life on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at the Black Forest Café, 3624 Seaman Road, Oregon, Ohio from 2 to 7 pm. Please come to share in the celebration.  There will not be a formal funeral, but Ray’s ashes will be scattered several places that he loved, including Minnesota and the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii.

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