A Friend left us today

handejector · #1 07-24-2009, 05:59 PM

In the wee hours today, July 24, Ray Cheely succumbed to his battle with cancer.

Ray was a gentleman and a scholar in the truest sense. His love for fine S&W's and his knowledge of them were well known in the collector fraternity.

His vision and and foresight in establishing the S&W Historical Foundation leaves a legacy that future generations of S&W collectors and scholars yet unborn will benefit greatly from.

He will be sorely missed.
Our sincere condolences to Sheryl and all the family.

____________________________________________________
7-30-09 EDIT-
Sheryl sent me this memorial flyer for Ray.

CLICK the Link:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/Remembering_Ray.pdf

ingmansinc · #2 07-24-2009, 06:08 PM

Yes, condolences to his family. Thanks for letting us know.

Duster42 · #3 07-24-2009, 06:26 PM

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

fyimo · #4 07-24-2009, 07:17 PM

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family

gizamo · #5 07-24-2009, 07:41 PM

Lee,

Sorry for the loss of your friend...

Prayers sent for the family.

giz

Doc44 · #6 07-24-2009, 08:25 PM

Ray cared deeply about the S&WCA and the S&WHF. He was instrumental in putting the S&WCA on a solid financial footing and played a significant role in molding it into the organization it is today. He and Sheryl founded the S&WHF in order to ensure that S&W firearms would be documented for collectors (us) in the future. When he and I talked about this, he often said, "If we don't do this now, who will do it in the future". Myself, and many others are committed to making his dream a reality.

I will miss him.

Bill Cross
President, S&WCA
Vice Chairman, S&WHF

DelavanKs · #7 07-24-2009, 10:12 PM

My thought are with the family in this time of need
Chuck

ladder13 · #8 07-24-2009, 10:22 PM

My condolences to the Cheely family.

gunlovingirl · #9 07-24-2009, 10:23 PM

My prayers to the family.

merlindrb · #10 07-24-2009, 10:57 PM

I lost a very good friend this morning. I will miss him.

However, I know that my sadness is insignificant compared with the loss felt by his wife Sheryl, his mother and the rest of his family. My thoughts are with them this evening and the gap that Ray's death will leave in their lives.

Ray was one of life's gentlemen, always willing to help others, to share his enormous knowledge and experience. I believe his skills were fundamental to the current financial stability of the S&WCA. His legacy to us is the recently created S&WHF and I join with Bill Cross in committing to its future success.

Rest in peace old son.

DHENRY · #11 07-24-2009, 11:05 PM

Ray was a fine gentleman, and a really nice and helpful guy.
Many S&WCA members belong and post here, so I would suggest the following:
If you've been meaning to join the Foundation but haven't had the opportunity, why not make the effort NOW, in remembrance of this wonderful man's vision to preserve our hobby.
Don

handejector · #12 07-25-2009, 12:02 AM

When I first met Ray, I noticed he had a sparkle in his eyes. I don't know if he wore contacts, but that would not fully account for it. There was simply a brightness on his face.
He had a quick wit, and it was easy to feel he was mentally two or three thoughts ahead in the conversation going on.
Wonderfully articulate, he still spoke slowly and thoughtfully in a laid back style that was very easy to be comfortable around. His words were chosen, and I always felt Ray had said no more and no less than he meant to. Very intelligent, I felt he would have been equally "at home" making a presentation in a Wall Street boardroom or jiving with the boys in a juke joint.
I can count Ray as a friend- I think he liked me as much as I liked him. I had always looked forward to getting to know him better, but the business of life and geography limited our contact to a few shows per year. I counted on the future to provide more plentiful opportunities for us to interact. So much for the best laid plans of mice and men.

Hemingway quotes part of Donne's prose as the preamble to For Whom the Bell Tolls:

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."

Frankly, I never bought the overly broad philisophical aspect of that sentiment, having met too many men I desired to rid the world of.

This man's death does diminish me- and you, whether you know it or not.

What a day. My heart is both saddened by the loss of Ray, and gladdened by bringing home a beautiful new granddaughter from the hospital born late Wednesday.

And the circle of life continues.

S+W Newbie · #13 07-25-2009, 12:28 AM

My condolences to his Friends and Family. RIP

j38 · #14 07-25-2009, 12:28 AM

My thoughts and prayers are with his family & friends.

Jerry

JSR III · #15 07-25-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handejector

When I first met Ray, I noticed he had a sparkle in his eyes. I don't know if he wore contacts, but that would not fully account for it. There was simply a brightness on his face.
He had a quick wit, and it was easy to feel he was mentally two or three thoughts ahead in the conversation going on.
Wonderfully articulate, he still spoke slowly and thoughtfully in a laid back style that was very easy to be comfortable around. His words were chosen, and I always felt Ray had said no more and no less than he meant to. Very intelligent, I felt he would have been equally "at home" making a presentation in a Wall Street boardroom or jiving with the boys in a juke joint.
I can count Ray as a friend- I think he liked me as much as I liked him. I had always looked forward to getting to know him better, but the business of life and geography limited our contact to a few shows per year. I counted on the future to provide more plentiful opportunities for us to interact. So much for the best laid plans of mice and men.

Hemingway quotes part of Donne's prose as the preamble to For Whom the Bell Tolls:

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."

Frankly, I never bought the overly broad philisophical aspect of that sentiment, having met too many men I desired to rid the world of.

This man's death does diminish me- and you, whether you know it or not.

What a day. My heart is both saddened by the loss of Ray, and gladdened by bringing home a beautiful new granddaughter from the hospital born late Wednesday.

And the circle of life continues.

I am not sure that I can add much more than Lee has all ready written. Ray WAS a true gentleman and will be sadly missed.

Should you wish to pay tribute to this wonderful man, I suggest that you send a donation to the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation. I know times are tough, but even $10 sent by every member of this forum would go a long way to preserving the records that Ray worked so hard to protect and make available to everyone. I spend that on coffee in just one week. Think about it.

JSW · #16 07-25-2009, 10:51 AM

Never met the man but heard a lot of good things about him. All of us that collect and love Smith & Wesson own him a debt of gratitude…

aterry33 · #17 07-27-2009, 11:29 PM

My condolences to his family and friends.