Raymond A. “Ray” Young was born in the fall of 1944 to Raymond H. Young and Lillian N. Nagel Young. He died Saturday, July 15, 2023.

Ray had a good and happy childhood. He was also baptized as a youth. Ray loved to spend time on his family homestead property. He enjoyed camping and working on the property for years with the help of a good friend. He hosted many parties and cooked a lot of oysters that he had grown.

Ray attended Hoquiam schools and graduated from Wishkah in 1963.

Ray worked in many places in Grays Harbor. The last mill he worked at was Grays Harbor Paper Company. Later, he and his brother started a shake mill named R&R. After that, he was a commercial fisherman from the ‘70s to the late ‘80s. He and his son, Don, fished together for several years. Ray also spent time fishing in Alaska. He was able to swim across Lituya Bay in his survival suit, which took him four hours. Ray spent 30 years in commercial fishing and owned three fishing vessels.

In 1986, he and his brother started their own oyster business at Chenois Creek.

In 1986, Ray married Janet. They enjoyed traveling, hiking, cooking and dancing their hearts away.

In 1997, Ray started another business truck driving and hauling dirt and gravel. Ray loved driving trucks. He finally retired in 2020 due to an illness.

Ray has a history of working and playing hard. Ray also loved racing cars, as he received many trophies. He went on to win more trophies for showing his 1967 Chevy Camaro convertible. He was a member of the Push Rods for several years, and he truly enjoyed spending time with the boys that were good friends of Ray’s. He loved cooking for a crowd, especially his oyster stew.

He was also a member of the Lug Nutz car club.

Rays also enjoyed long drives with his wife, Janet, in the convertible with the wind or breeze blowing in their faces. Ray enjoyed his music, especially old western music, drag racing, old western movies and watching Judge Judy.

Ray started his first family in 1965 with his first wife, and had two children, Donald R. Young and Dianna K. Young. Ray is survived by his siblings, Janice Finn (Lowell) of Dallas, Oregon, and Ronald (Carol) Young of Hoquiam, along with three nieces, Brenda, Caroline and Karrie.

Ray is survived by his wife, Janet, granddaughter, Stephanie Parker (Jake) of Toutle, great-granddaughter London Moreno of Longview, great-grandsons Kayson and Keaton Parker of Toutle and stepdaughter Kris (Roger Jr.) Keller of Aberdeen. Ray is also survived by his cat, Misty, who loved him and stayed with him throughout his illness.

Ray is preceded in death by his infant sister Caroline, his daughter Dianna, his son Donald Young, his stepson Darrin Grube, and a great-grandson Jace Grimes.

A service will be held for Ray at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 21, at Sunset Memorial Park, and a potluck reception will follow at the Hoquiam Elks. Pallbearers are Denny Bickar, Steve Reams, Ed Bishop, Joe Kaplan, Okie Thompson and Mike Crawford.

Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.

Please take a few moments of reflection to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at: www.colemanmortuary.net.