Raymond Leonard McKay, 77, a long time resident of Sweet Home passed away Monday. He was born in Newberg, Oregon to Leonard Raymond and Maxine Vivian (Imus) McKay.

He passed two days before his 78th birthday with his loving wife by his side after a long battle with heart disease.

Ray contributed and worked in the logging industry in Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Oregon all his life.

He played drums in grade school and played football and basketball in high school. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1958. He married Joyce Rowe in 1959 and they had five children: Rick, Renae, Susie, Beverly and Craig.

Ray later married Kay Williams in 1985 and became a step-father to two children: Jody and Joe.

He was a member of the Elks Lodge. He enjoyed watching sports, camping and spending time with family and friends.

Ray is survived by Kay McKay of Sweet Home; children: Rick and his wife Teri McKay of Sweet Home, Renae and her husband Eric Dreher of Enterprise, Susie and her husband Clayton Lapp of Redmond, Beverly and her husband Jim Routon of Sweet Home, Craig and his wife Deanna McKay of Sweet Home, Jody and her husband Cory Carver of Albany, Joe Williams of Umatilla; sister: Barbara and her husband Boyd Beaumont of Lyons; 20 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his sister Sharon M. McKay; father Leonard Raymond McKay; step-father Nick Schuetz; mother Maxine Schuetz; grandmother Charlotte Imus; and grandson Logan Meyers.

Celebration of Life will be at 12:00 pm Saturday January 28th at the Sweet Home Elks Lodge. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements. www.sweethomefuneral.com