Jun 11

Jun 11 Obituary: Fredrick 'Ray' Raymond Edwards

Fredrick Raymond Edwards

Fredrick Raymond Edwards, known as "Ray," passed peacefully through the veil on Friday, June 4, 2021, at his home in Hood River with his family by his side. He was 84 years old. On June 26, 1936, Ray was born to James Theodore and Anne Elizabeth (Hammer) Edwards in Huston, Idaho. Ray was their second child; his brother James was six years older. When Ray was two and a half years old, his little sister Sylvia was born. He adored her.

At four years of age Ray would ride on a horse to school with his brother, James, and return home with the horse. Later the same day, he would ride the horse back to school to pick up James. In 1940 Ray's mother moved to Hood River; Ray traveled back and forth from Idaho to Hood River, half-time with father and half-time with mother. When Ray was in grade school in Idaho, he spent time working at the Auction House and his dad's riding academy. He enjoyed riding his horse to the movie theater. Ray’s mother remarried and had three more children: Jerry, Bill, and Julie Winheim. He loved little ones then and throughout his life. As a teenager, Ray worked for Edwards & Sons Logging Company in Idaho with his dad and brother, James. Ray played football while attending Hood River High School. After a football injury, he became the school photographer. Ray was very talented and taught a photography class in high school. He also helped design and take most of the photographs for the school yearbooks.

Ray met Nancy Califf at the roller-skating rink at Barret School. Ray was quite the show-off, and he boldly asked Nancy, “Why haven’t I ever seen you here before?”. The rest is history. Ray and Nancy continued to date through high school, and then got married on Halloween, October 31, 1954, in White Salmon, Washington. He teased her about using her broomstick instead of the car to go on their honeymoon. They lived in an apartment in Hood River while Ray went to work for Sun Publishing Company. Nancy would proudly make her husband breakfast every morning. He would eat it, then throw it up on the way to work. He didn’t have the heart to tell her eating breakfast made him sick. After roughly three months of this, he finally had to tell her, “I cannot eat breakfast.” They soon had three children: Fred, born 1955; Judy, born 1956; and Nancilee, born 1957. They moved to Avalon Drive where he lived throughout his life.

In 1956, Ray participated in training at Smith Corona to learn to fix typewriters. Then in 1960, he went to a trade school to learn New Edge Litho plate printing. By 1962, Ray worked for the Hood River News and started his own business, Ray's Typewriter Service, where he sold and repaired typewriters. Their fourth child, Sandra, was born that same year. He worked long hours at his two jobs. Still, he always had the time and energy to take his family on adventures: fishing, camping, the Portland Zoo, OMSI, and, if nothing else, always a Sunday drive in the mountains after church and before watching the family's favorite show, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. He loved spending time with his family and teaching them the value of hard work. Ray made everything FUN! Together they would cut and stack wood, paint the house, plant and weed the garden, and pick fruit in the fall. He could fix anything and passed his abilities on to his children. He taught his family to be do-it-yourselfers and to have a strong work ethic. They went on great family vacations traveling and camping: The Oregon Caves, Redwoods, Vancouver B.C., Cannon Beach, Crater Lake, and many more lakes and reservoirs.

In 1967, Ray received the contract to service Hood River County and Klickitat County school typewriters. He was the leader, but it was a family affair. Everyone pitched in to help. Ray’s fifth child, Jason, was born in 1973, completing the family. The years 1973 - 1978 were a busy and expensive time with teenagers in and out of the house, four graduations, three church missions, and three weddings. Then in 1986, Ray’s home on Avalon Drive burned to the ground. It was a time for much growth and new beginnings. In May of 1989, Ray took his family to the Seattle, Washington Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be sealed together as a family. Ray served faithfully in the church as a stake missionary, Sunday School president, Elder’s Quorum president, and temple ordinance worker at the Portland Oregon Temple.

Ray is survived by his wife, Nancy, and his children: Fredrick (Anna-Kare) Edwards of Kaysville, Utah; Judy (James) Moses of Pinegrove, Oregon; Nancilee Edwards of Odell, Oregon; Sandra Edwards and Jason Edwards of Hood River, Oregon. He has 20 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings, Sylvia Shaw, Bill Winheim, and Julie Sim.

A service for Ray will take place at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1825 May St, Hood River, OR 97031) on Saturday, June 12th, 2021 at 11:00 A.M.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.