Raymond B. DeGarmo's Obituary
Raymond B. DeGarmo 63, passed away peacefully at his country home in the early evening hours on September 29, 2019, surrounded by his adoring family. He was born in Canton, Ohio on August 30, 1956 to the late Paul and Norma Jean (Halter) DeGarmo. He was a 1975 graduate of Glenwood High School where he was actively involved in many shenanigans, pranks, football games, and neighborhood monkey-business. After high school, Ray headed for the hills of Appalachia and attended Hocking Technical College where he graduated with a degree in Forestry. Equipped with his biltmore stick, chaps, and chainsaw, Ray met the love of his life, Tina Gail Pelo, also a student at Hocking. After a short courtship, they married in 1979, a week after graduating college, and celebrated 40 years together this past June. After graduating from Hocking, Ray worked at multiple industrial sawmill positions, gaining knowledge and experience which ultimately led him to Buckeye Hills Career Center (Rio Grande, Ohio) where he was hired as the Sawmill Instructor. Shortly thereafter, he also took over the logging program. Ray was a master craftsman and carpenter, building furniture for family and friends, along with commissioned pieces after launching his woodworking business, Heirloom Woodworks, in 1989. Ray continued to work in business for himself while also working for The Mead Corporation in Chillicothe as their Merchandising Forester and ultimately completing his career at M. Bolhke Veneer in Cincinnati, Ohio as a Veneer Log Buyer. In 1997-1998, after years of perfecting his design, Ray, with the help of only a few sub-contractors, single-handedly built the family’s dream home. Situated on their 122 acre homestead surrounded by thousands of conifers that he, his wife, and children planted throughout the years, his Patriot, Ohio home was a source of great pride and immeasurable joy. To know Ray was to know laughter. He was a legendary jokester with a wicked sense of humor. He had a special gift for working and training dogs – especially his beloved Labradors (Buckette, Rosco, Heggy, and Maya). Ray was an extraordinarily hard worker, extremely clever, brutally honest, and unapologetically cheap. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister JoAnn Snyder and his brother John DeGarmo. He is survived by his wife, Tina Gail (Pelo) DeGarmo, daughters, Angela (Trent) Cremeens, Chelsea (Justin) Taylor, son, Lucas (Bridget) DeGarmo; his brothers, Jim (Alica) DeGarmo, Paul DeGarmo, Tom (Joanne) DeGarmo; his sisters Jackie DeGarmo (David Beasley), Denese (Ed) Alexsonshk, and his five grandsons: Judah, Kale, Alek, Lake, and Jagger Ray, with a sixth grandson, Lucas Raymond II, expected this November. In lieu of flowers and gifts, his family requests that donations be made in Ray’s honor to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research. Ray was adamant that no formal calling hours, funeral, or burial be held. Instead, and in true Ray B form, he requested that his friends and family “have a party, tell some stories, and raise a glass or two.” In keeping with Ray’s wishes, we would like to invite anyone who is interested in celebrating Ray’s life to join us from 3-6 PM on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at Green Valley Gathering Place in Bidwell, Ohio. Hall Funeral Home and Crematory assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.ehallfuneralhome.com.
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