Raymond Lawrence McNally
(May 24, 1926 - July 31, 2008)
 

Raymond Lawrence McNally, age 82, of N6804 Connors Road, Munising, died unexpectedly, but peacefully in his sleep at his home on Thursday morning, July 31, 2008. He was born on May 24, 1926 in Munising to the late Thomas and Inez (Carr) McNally. His mother was a descendant of Chief Naw-Ben-ay-ash and Chief Powers of the Air and his great-grandparents were Antoine and Caroline Thomas Blair, Grand Island Chippewa. Ray attended Mather High School before leaving for WWII in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946. He returned home and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1947. Ray was a woods worker and he married Ruth Johnson and they had four children. Ruth unexpectedly died in 1964 and Ray continued to work in the woods. In 1979, he married Donna Peters Walsh. Ray retired from the woods and then worked as the Host at the Kewadin Casino in Christmas. Ray was an Elder for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He loved the Detroit Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, and Lions. Ray enjoyed all sports and he knew all of the statistics of who played where and when. He also enjoyed taking rides in his truck and gardening. For the last year, Ray truly enjoyed the companionship of Lady, his friend that Donna brought home from the Humane Society.

Ray is survived by his wife of over almost thirty years – Donna of Munising; children – Dan (Donna) McNally of Mapleville, RI, Steve (Pattye) McNally of Chattanooga, TN, Holly McNally of Portage, MI, Beth (Rick) Graves of Spring Grove, IL, and Eugene (Lori) Walsh of Munising; grandchildren – Brittany, Baillie, Taylor, Ryan, Kelsey, Kristopher, Ellie, Jay, Anna, Dylan, Jordan, Connor, Lynsey, Samantha, and Rick; great-grandchildren – Logan and Autumn; brother – John McNally of Munising; sisters – Katherine (Walter) Kolbus of Wetmore and Marilyn “Teenie” Milatovich of Munising; sister and brother-in-law – Marvel McNally of Munising and Tom LaCombe of North Carolina; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws on the Peters and Johnson sides of the family. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth, brothers Wayne and Clifford “Kip” McNally, and sisters Dorothy Karr, Darlene LaCombe, Margaret Gurski, Isabelle Heabert, and Marion Oderfer.

Funeral services will be conducted by Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard at the Eden Lutheran Church on Monday, August 4, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery where the Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors. Ray will be escorted by his grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Ray may be directed to the Alger County Humane Society.

Submitted by Char Livermore