Raymond Gagnon
July 9, 1935 ~ October 24, 2024
Raymond “Ray” Alfred Gagnon. Jr., 89, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 24, 2024.
Ray was born in western Kansas, July 9, 1935 to Raymond Sr. and Isabella Gagnon. Ray was the oldest of four children: Thomas (deceased), David, and Janice. Ray grew up on the family farm and graduated high school in 1953. Ray joined the military shortly after where he spent two years on active duty in France and Germany.
Returning from duty, he dated and married the love of his life Elizabeth “Betty” Dinkel in 1957. Beginning their life together, they moved to the Denver area in 1958. They adopted two children.
Ray was a lifelong auto mechanic. He starting working as a mechanic in high school with his uncle and continued that work in the military and when he moved to Colorado. Ray was employed with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for many years. After years of opening and managing corporate and independent stores for Goodyear, he decided to open his own automotive repair business. Throughout the years, Ray became known for great customer service and developed a very loyal client following. Even though he retired in 2001, he would continue, to this day, to encounter past customers that remembered him for his honesty, integrity and sense of humor.
Ray was a loving and dedicated husband to Betty for 67 years, and a treasured father to Kari and Kelli. Ray enjoyed family time with his grandchildren Tessa, Michael, and Ashleigh. Throughout the years, Ray enjoyed hunting, camping, Sunday drives, snowmobiling, dirt bikes and time with family. In the past few years his focus changed to daily walks at the mall and coffee and good conversation with friends at the Chai shop. Ray was personable and outgoing. He never met a stranger and will be missed by many.
He is survived by his loving wife Betty, daughters Kari Haliw (Jerry) and Kelli Gagnon. Grandchildren: Michael Haliw, Ashleigh Haliw and Tessa Cowan. Brother David Gagnon, Sister Janice Arnhold, many sisters and brothers-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Knights of Columbus, American Heart Association, or the charity of your choice.
Ray’s Celebration of Life will be held at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Wheat Ridge, Colorado on Tuesday, November 12. Rosary at 9:30 am followed by 10:00 am mass. A luncheon reception to follow at noon-Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling Street, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
Services
Rosary: November 12, 2024 9:30 am - 10:00 am
Saints Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church
3900 Pierce St.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033
Memorial Mass: November 12, 2024 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Saints Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church
3900 Pierce St.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033
Reception: November 12, 2024 12:00 pm
Wheat Ridge Recreation Center
4005 Kipling Street
Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033
We will miss you.
Hoping the beautiful memories will carry you all through this loss. Uncle Ray will be missed. ❤️
Ray was one of the nicest, kindest men we knew. Charlie enjoyed working with him at Goodyear and I later enjoyed stopping at his station on 64th and Sheridan after work. Even just to visit. We always enjoyed our Christmas cards or calls. Ray will be missed!
Our Uncle Ray will always be remembered and missed. He was always kind, and helpful to me.
I cherish my memories of him. May God comfort you all in your time of loss. You are in my prayers.
Rays passing hit my daughter and I hard. But thru our tears we have such great memories of his jokes and the kindness he showed both of us will never be forgotten. He rescued Ashley time and time again when she’d stop in his shop for bike repairs or tires needing air and when she drove all the fixing up on our cars, always asking who was paying for it as he’d give Ash a deal.
His kidding around and teasing was relentless. Ray was truly one of a kind and he found a woman that was one of a kind as well.
Ray and Betty are the very best of neighbors. He will be missed by all who had the opportunity and pleasure in meeting him. Rest in peace my friend❤️
In the early 1970s my parents and sister moved to Arvada while I have stayed in Alaska. Ray performed the repair and maintenance work on their vehicles at his garage that was located at Sheridan and 64th. This is where I first him with my father in about 1973 or so. I believe it was the year my family acquired their dog Tasha which became Ray’s favorite. Ray worked at other places after that where my family followed him to have their vehicles worked on. I used to stop in at his garage at 38th once and a while for coffee when I was visiting the family in Colorado. Once Ray retired we started having coffee with a large group at the McDonalds by Wadsworth and 38th. My last trip down in March we figured there were 3 of us left out of that large group and now there are 2. I do not believe all of them made it to Heaven but enough for Ray to have coffee with. For me this was a great friendship. Ray was a very nice individual and it leaves me with great sadness that I will not be having coffee with him again. I have doubts I will to make it to Heaven.
Ray is someone I will never forget. Somethings are just not possible to convey to others but I know Ray is listening when I say it meant alot to me when I would step off the bus at 33nd and Ames after (sometimes) a bad day at work to pick up my car and was always greeted with a smile and that undying midwestern warmth. In recent years I would join Ray and Betty at the mall for coffee, and I hold those memories now. When Ray told me he was retiring I said finding a good mechanic was worse than finding a new doctor! His reply was: good mechanics are as scarce as hen\’s teeth.