Raymond Joseph Delay

Raymond Joseph “Ray” Delay, 83, passed away in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on Monday morning, January 14, 2008. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 PM, Saturday, January 19th, in Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel. Father Larry Gooley from Priest River will officiate. Interment will be in Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be on Friday, Jan. 18th from 5 PM until 7 PM and on Saturday Jan. 19th until service time. Ray was born on July 19, 1924 in Careywood, ID the son of Tony and Elizabeth Delay. He was raised on the family farm, graduating from Granite Grade School in 1938 and from Sandpoint High School in 1942. He worked on the construction of Farragut Naval Training Center, worked on the construction of the Power City Electric, and drove truck for Reid Brothers Texaco. On April 10, 1948 he married Fairy Fisher in Coeur d’Alene, ID, they have been married for 59 years. He owned and operated the farm in Careywood, operating a Grade A dairy, raising beef cattle, and legumes, cereal grains, and timber. He owned and managed Ray’s Supply, selling feed, grain, and farm products from 1950 until 1967. He was the supervisor for the Idaho Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, Bonner County Rodent Control Supervisor, was the Auditor and Insurance Adjuster for Rain and Hail Insurance, and was the Auditor for North Central Crop Insurance. Since 1950 he has worked on the election board for Bonner County serving as the Careywood Precinct Chief Judge of elections. He was the Master of the Westmond Grange for 2 years, Chairman of the Bonner County Advisory Board for 6 years, and County Committee Chairman of the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service for 9 years. In 1977 he received the Outstanding Director award from the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, in 1987 received the Woodsman of the Year Award, and in 1999 the North Idaho Timberfest Appreciation Ward. At the local level he was active in Bonner County Dairy Herd Assn., Bonner County Breeders Assn., Bonner County Farm Bureau, Bonner County Tax Protective Assn., Sandpoint High School Vocational Advisory Council, Bonner County Grassman Committee, Farm Home Administration Committee, Soil Conservation District, Bonner County Fair Board, Bonner County Extension Committee, and the Northern Lights, Inc Advisory Board. At the state level, he was District 1 Grassman of the Year in 1969, served on the Idaho Dairy Products Commission, was Director for the Idaho Dairyman’s Association, was Chairman of the Idaho-Washington Resource Conservation and Development Council, an American Tree Farmer member, hosting the Idaho State Forestry Judging Contest; Idaho Forest Owners Association member, and Idaho Soil Conservation District member. He was active in Urban Development, Idaho Resource Conservation, Panhandle Lakes Resource Conservation and Development, and the Idaho Department of Lands. Ray received many outstanding awards for his contributions and served as chairman and treasurer, for many years, on these committees. At the national level Ray also participated in the Dairy Associations, Western Resource Conservation and Development Associations, serving as chairman and comptroller for the National Association of Resource and Conservation Council. He also received national recognition and awards for his participation. Ray was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the I.O.O.F. Lodge #34. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Fairy Delay of Careywood, ID; 2 sons Eugene (and Rona) Delay of Colchester, VT; Raymond (and Linda) Delay of Sandpoint, ID; 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Also surviving are 3 brothers John (and Helen) Delay, of Newport, WA; Joseph (and Helen) Delay of Spokane, WA; and Tony Delay of Spokane, WA; 4 nephews and 3 nieces. His parents, a brother, and a nephew preceded him in death. Memorials may be made to Hospice, to the Parkinson’s Foundation or to N.O.S.D.A. (no one should die alone) Association of Coeur d’Alene, ID.