Ray Vettel

Ray Vettel, age 75, formerly of Aurora, passed away on February 10, 2003, at his home in Golden Valley, Arizona.

A Memorial Service will be held at 7:00 P.M., Friday, February 28th at the Higby-McQuiston Chapel in Aurora. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: RAY VETTEL

Raymond Milton Vettel, the son of Milton E. and Helen Kusick (Haskins) Vettel, was born in Ashtabula, Ohio on February 6, 1928 and died in Golden Valley, Arizona on February 10, 2003, at the age of 75.

He grew up on a small farm outside of Ashtabula, Ohio where he attended Plymouth schools in his early years and then Ashtabula High School. He sailed on the Great Lakes in the Merchant Marines and then joined the U.S. Army. Ray served in World War II seeing action throughout Europe and Russia. He was a veteran, who belonged to the American Legion in Aurora and then to the Legion in Kingman, Arizona. Ray was also a member of the V.F.W.

Ray worked in the transportation industry most of his life after returning from the war. He was owner/operator for years and then was a shop foreman in Norfolk, Nebraska for a trucking company. He moved to Aurora, Nebraska with his family in 1971, where he was a dispatcher for Coldway Food Express. In 1972, he built a shop and offices in Aurora in partnership with Coldway. The business was known as Vet-Co.

Ray retired from trucking in 1986, when he started a business rebuilding starters and alternators. The business was called Del-Ray. He later moved to Golden Valley, Arizona.

Ray enjoyed fishing, camping, racecars and rebuilding almost everything. His latter years were spent visiting with his children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant son John, granddaughter Tessa and ex-wives, Phyllis.

Those left to cherish his memories are his eight children, David Vettel and his wife Crystal of Mount Zion, Illinois, Raymond (Lou) Vettel and his wife Shari of Aurora, Dr. Kenny Vettel and his wife Dana of Phillips, Mike Vettel and his wife Ann of Aurora and Rebecca Schaffert and her fiance¢ Gary Jones of Hickman, Danny Vettel of Akron, Ohio, Debbie (Vettel) Morgan of Lakewood, Ohio and Chris (Vettel) Buxa and her husband Gary of North Ridgeville, Ohio; 16 grandchildren, Todd Vettel of Camp Pendleton, California, Timothy and Trevor Vettel of Mount Zion, Illinois, Jacki and Joshua Vettel of Aurora, Jessica and Tyler Vettel of Phillips, Dalton, Bailey and Hunter Vettel of Aurora and Vincent and Jordan Schaffert of Hickman, Autom and Aimee Morgan of Lakewood, Ohio and Marla & Eric Buxa of North Ridgeville, Ohio. Ray is also survived by 3 brothers, Jim Vettel of Carlsbad, California, Al Vettel of Grafton, Ohio and Bill Vettel of Farifield, Texas; 3 sisters, Marge (Mrs. Ed) Tatum of Carlsbad, California, Irene (Mrs. Web) Gates of Elyria, Ohio and Mary (Mrs. Bob) Sharp of Mesa, Arizona and cousins in Ashtabula, Ohio mace family and family of Louis Vettel, Jr.