Raymond Martin Rakar

RAKAR, Raymond M, age 93, of Kettering, OH quietly stepped into his Heavenly home on Tuesday, August 13, 2019. He was born April 15, 1926 to Martin and Josephine Rakar in Cleveland, OH. Ray is survived by children, Martha Hoke of Maineville, John (Sandy) Rakar of Huber Heights, & Kathleen (Ken) Simpson of Springboro. He is preceded in death by his wife, Anne, of 66 years and daughter, Joan Weathers. Ray considered his grandchildren a magnificent blessing and gift in his life; Christine Gajda (Jacek) and their sons, Mish and Marcin of Rockville, Illinois, Jocelyn Monis (Rich) and their children Kayla and Alex of Naperville, Illinois. Rachel Hoke and her daughter Zoe of Los Angeles, California, Emily Berger (Jeremy) and their sons Joel and Nathan of Cincinnati, Ohio, Erika Chapman and her daughter Isabelle of Huber Heights, and Phillip Rakar (Erika) and their children Kiyrra and Dashel.

As a young man, Ray excelled in high school athletics, but was called to serve in the United States Navy, stationed in California for two years. After time served, a highly disciplined and driven young man pushed on to reach his dream and as a result was thrilled to be on the team roster as a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians baseball organization, playing for the Pittsfield Electrics in 1947, Harrisburg Senators in 1948, and Dayton Indians in 1949-1950, with some of his professional baseball records recorded in the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame. During that time in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, it was during one of those games he spotted the beautiful love of his life in the stands and oh yes, that determined young man pursued her with all of his heart and soul and married Anne, a woman he cherished all of his life, until her passing after 66 years of marriage. The commitment of marriage and the arrival of his first-born daughter brought about changes for Ray and he left the Dayton A League team after two years. As recognition of his baseball career in Dayton, Ray was the recipient of the Wally Post Award as part of the Am-Pro baseball fraternity and the Dayton Amateur Baseball Commission (DABC) Hall of Fame class. It was there in Dayton, that the Lord blessed him with a wonderful 30-year career at General Motors as an HR Manager, hiring thousands of hourly employees at the Delco Moraine Division of GM. Ray also managed the Dayton Industrial Athletic Association (DIAA) for many years. In other areas of athletics, many will remember Ray as the swim coach for the Dayton Dolphins and YMCA swim team, as well as coaching high school summer ball clubs over the years.

Ray’s personal life showed a man of great commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, a faithful husband to his wife Anne and an amazing father and grandfather. His unique gift of encouragement was of great assistance to them in their successes, but also in their failures. A man of great honor that consistently extended honor to others, Raymond M Rakar will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please provide donations to your local church or chosen Christian organization to further God’s work to fulfill His Kingdom purposes until the whole world hears and knows our soon and coming King, Jesus Christ. Services will be held on Monday, August 19, 2019. Friends will be received from 10:00-11:00am, followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00am at Miami Valley Memory Gardens, 1639 East Lytle Five Points Road, Centerville, Ohio, 45458. Private family burial to follow. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.routsong.com.