Was born on May 8, 1923 to Luther Blanton Easler (1883-1963) and Annie Beulah Louise Bennett Easler (1893-1970) in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He had nine siblings: half sister Bessie Mae Easler Thrift (1912-2007)--from his father's first marriage--Oathur Miles Easler (1916-1988), Arbra James "Coot" Easler (1918-1980) , Luther Buice Easler (1920-1920), Herbert Rupert "Rupe" Easler (1926-2012), Mallie Aurelia Easler Sargent (1928-), Iris Louise Easler Dill (1930-), Betty Lou "Gob" Easler Harrison (1932-), and Dorothy Sue "Peewee" Easler Johnson (1934-).
He grew up on a farm, where his father thrived and they did well, until the Great Depression hit and life was hard. He'd pick cotton and would give his younger sisters the cotton he picked so they would get paid. He was very smart and quiet, and skipped a grade and graduated high school early at the age of almost seventeen and joined the Navy as a Radio Man and then later on went to electronics, and was cleared for "Top Secret". Before he joined the Navy, he would tell his younger sister Mallie to tell their parents to sign for him, and she said, "No! You might get killed!" because they didn't want him to go. Eventually his father signed for him, and he paid his own way to Raleigh, North Carolina to take his test, since he wasn't allowed to in Spartanburg. He scored so high on his test that the Navy waivered his wait. He weighed 112 pounds when he left for the Navy.
In 1948, he met Nancy Lou Gossett at a military dinner thrown for her father's squadron (Ray's squadron threw the dinner for Nancy's father's squadron). They exchanged numbers and he would call her over the course of two weeks, though she wouldn't answer because she was at a play rehearsal for church. He called one last time and they went out on a date. On January 28, 1950, they were married in San Diego, California, where her father and he were stationed. They went to Palm Springs on their honeymoon. In March of that same year, Nancy found out she was pregnant. If a boy, he said, he wanted it to be named after himself. Not soon after finding out about his unborn child, Ray had to fight in the Korean War, leaving Nancy with her mother. Sometime before the baby was due, Nancy heard about a plane that had had been shot by the North Koreans and barely made it back to the Navy base; it was a plane that Ray flew. She told her mother, "That's Ray's plane." Her mother told her not to worry, but it turned out to be Ray's plane after all. He turned up fine.
On November 22, 1950, in Coronado, California, Nancy gave birth to Ray Cecil Easler, Jr. Ray--who was in China--knew of her due date, and flowers were delivered to her room, to her surprise. Ray came home a few months later, and when they were in the car heading home, Ray Jr, who Nancy had shown pictures of Ray Sr to, couldn't stop looking at Ray Sr, knowing that was his father because of the pictures Nancy had shown him.
On April 4, 1953, while stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, Nancy gave birth to Nancy Louise Easler (goes by Louise). Ray was out of town for her birth. He named all of their children, and was only at the hospital for their third child's birth, since he wasn't deployed. In Honolulu, Hawaii on March 18, 1956, they had their third child, a daughter Mary Elizabeth Easler. Ray was at the hospital when she was born (not in the room; they didn't allow men in the room at this time). When Ray got called up (Nancy had short labors), Nancy had been in labor for just thirty minutes. So when Ray got called up, another man in the hospital who had been there longer, said, "Hey! That's not fair, he just got here!" After Mary was born, all five of them moved to New England, settling in Rhode Island in 1959. On May 26, 1961, they had their fourth and final child, John Orien Easler in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
A few years later in 1963, they moved back to California from the East Coast, settling in San Diego, then they went to San Jose in 1968, and then they moved back down to San Diego in 1971. Ray became a real estate attorney in 1978.
Not many years passed since he became an attorney when Ray suffered a massive stroke on December 7, 1981, on the left side of his brain, causing him to never speak in full sentences ever again. He enjoyed his family and watching his own children have children of their own, and watched as his grandchildren had children, until he passed away on August 26, 2004 in his San Diego home with Nancy right by him. He is missed and will always be remembered.
Ray and Nancy had sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one (and counting) great grandchildren.
I am Ray's sixteenth grandchild. I was very close to my grandpa, and though he couldn't speak that well because of his stroke, I knew him. He is remembered as a brave, confident, hardworking man who loves his family, and is greatly missed. I love you, grandpa.
He grew up on a farm, where his father thrived and they did well, until the Great Depression hit and life was hard. He'd pick cotton and would give his younger sisters the cotton he picked so they would get paid. He was very smart and quiet, and skipped a grade and graduated high school early at the age of almost seventeen and joined the Navy as a Radio Man and then later on went to electronics, and was cleared for "Top Secret". Before he joined the Navy, he would tell his younger sister Mallie to tell their parents to sign for him, and she said, "No! You might get killed!" because they didn't want him to go. Eventually his father signed for him, and he paid his own way to Raleigh, North Carolina to take his test, since he wasn't allowed to in Spartanburg. He scored so high on his test that the Navy waivered his wait. He weighed 112 pounds when he left for the Navy.
In 1948, he met Nancy Lou Gossett at a military dinner thrown for her father's squadron (Ray's squadron threw the dinner for Nancy's father's squadron). They exchanged numbers and he would call her over the course of two weeks, though she wouldn't answer because she was at a play rehearsal for church. He called one last time and they went out on a date. On January 28, 1950, they were married in San Diego, California, where her father and he were stationed. They went to Palm Springs on their honeymoon. In March of that same year, Nancy found out she was pregnant. If a boy, he said, he wanted it to be named after himself. Not soon after finding out about his unborn child, Ray had to fight in the Korean War, leaving Nancy with her mother. Sometime before the baby was due, Nancy heard about a plane that had had been shot by the North Koreans and barely made it back to the Navy base; it was a plane that Ray flew. She told her mother, "That's Ray's plane." Her mother told her not to worry, but it turned out to be Ray's plane after all. He turned up fine.
On November 22, 1950, in Coronado, California, Nancy gave birth to Ray Cecil Easler, Jr. Ray--who was in China--knew of her due date, and flowers were delivered to her room, to her surprise. Ray came home a few months later, and when they were in the car heading home, Ray Jr, who Nancy had shown pictures of Ray Sr to, couldn't stop looking at Ray Sr, knowing that was his father because of the pictures Nancy had shown him.
On April 4, 1953, while stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, Nancy gave birth to Nancy Louise Easler (goes by Louise). Ray was out of town for her birth. He named all of their children, and was only at the hospital for their third child's birth, since he wasn't deployed. In Honolulu, Hawaii on March 18, 1956, they had their third child, a daughter Mary Elizabeth Easler. Ray was at the hospital when she was born (not in the room; they didn't allow men in the room at this time). When Ray got called up (Nancy had short labors), Nancy had been in labor for just thirty minutes. So when Ray got called up, another man in the hospital who had been there longer, said, "Hey! That's not fair, he just got here!" After Mary was born, all five of them moved to New England, settling in Rhode Island in 1959. On May 26, 1961, they had their fourth and final child, John Orien Easler in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
A few years later in 1963, they moved back to California from the East Coast, settling in San Diego, then they went to San Jose in 1968, and then they moved back down to San Diego in 1971. Ray became a real estate attorney in 1978.
Not many years passed since he became an attorney when Ray suffered a massive stroke on December 7, 1981, on the left side of his brain, causing him to never speak in full sentences ever again. He enjoyed his family and watching his own children have children of their own, and watched as his grandchildren had children, until he passed away on August 26, 2004 in his San Diego home with Nancy right by him. He is missed and will always be remembered.
Ray and Nancy had sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one (and counting) great grandchildren.
I am Ray's sixteenth grandchild. I was very close to my grandpa, and though he couldn't speak that well because of his stroke, I knew him. He is remembered as a brave, confident, hardworking man who loves his family, and is greatly missed. I love you, grandpa.
Was born on May 8, 1923 to Luther Blanton Easler (1883-1963) and Annie Beulah Louise Bennett Easler (1893-1970) in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He had nine siblings: half sister Bessie Mae Easler Thrift (1912-2007)--from his father's first marriage--Oathur Miles Easler (1916-1988), Arbra James "Coot" Easler (1918-1980) , Luther Buice Easler (1920-1920), Herbert Rupert "Rupe" Easler (1926-2012), Mallie Aurelia Easler Sargent (1928-), Iris Louise Easler Dill (1930-), Betty Lou "Gob" Easler Harrison (1932-), and Dorothy Sue "Peewee" Easler Johnson (1934-).
He grew up on a farm, where his father thrived and they did well, until the Great Depression hit and life was hard. He'd pick cotton and would give his younger sisters the cotton he picked so they would get paid. He was very smart and quiet, and skipped a grade and graduated high school early at the age of almost seventeen and joined the Navy as a Radio Man and then later on went to electronics, and was cleared for "Top Secret". Before he joined the Navy, he would tell his younger sister Mallie to tell their parents to sign for him, and she said, "No! You might get killed!" because they didn't want him to go. Eventually his father signed for him, and he paid his own way to Raleigh, North Carolina to take his test, since he wasn't allowed to in Spartanburg. He scored so high on his test that the Navy waivered his wait. He weighed 112 pounds when he left for the Navy.
In 1948, he met Nancy Lou Gossett at a military dinner thrown for her father's squadron (Ray's squadron threw the dinner for Nancy's father's squadron). They exchanged numbers and he would call her over the course of two weeks, though she wouldn't answer because she was at a play rehearsal for church. He called one last time and they went out on a date. On January 28, 1950, they were married in San Diego, California, where her father and he were stationed. They went to Palm Springs on their honeymoon. In March of that same year, Nancy found out she was pregnant. If a boy, he said, he wanted it to be named after himself. Not soon after finding out about his unborn child, Ray had to fight in the Korean War, leaving Nancy with her mother. Sometime before the baby was due, Nancy heard about a plane that had had been shot by the North Koreans and barely made it back to the Navy base; it was a plane that Ray flew. She told her mother, "That's Ray's plane." Her mother told her not to worry, but it turned out to be Ray's plane after all. He turned up fine.
On November 22, 1950, in Coronado, California, Nancy gave birth to Ray Cecil Easler, Jr. Ray--who was in China--knew of her due date, and flowers were delivered to her room, to her surprise. Ray came home a few months later, and when they were in the car heading home, Ray Jr, who Nancy had shown pictures of Ray Sr to, couldn't stop looking at Ray Sr, knowing that was his father because of the pictures Nancy had shown him.
On April 4, 1953, while stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, Nancy gave birth to Nancy Louise Easler (goes by Louise). Ray was out of town for her birth. He named all of their children, and was only at the hospital for their third child's birth, since he wasn't deployed. In Honolulu, Hawaii on March 18, 1956, they had their third child, a daughter Mary Elizabeth Easler. Ray was at the hospital when she was born (not in the room; they didn't allow men in the room at this time). When Ray got called up (Nancy had short labors), Nancy had been in labor for just thirty minutes. So when Ray got called up, another man in the hospital who had been there longer, said, "Hey! That's not fair, he just got here!" After Mary was born, all five of them moved to New England, settling in Rhode Island in 1959. On May 26, 1961, they had their fourth and final child, John Orien Easler in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
A few years later in 1963, they moved back to California from the East Coast, settling in San Diego, then they went to San Jose in 1968, and then they moved back down to San Diego in 1971. Ray became a real estate attorney in 1978.
Not many years passed since he became an attorney when Ray suffered a massive stroke on December 7, 1981, on the left side of his brain, causing him to never speak in full sentences ever again. He enjoyed his family and watching his own children have children of their own, and watched as his grandchildren had children, until he passed away on August 26, 2004 in his San Diego home with Nancy right by him. He is missed and will always be remembered.
Ray and Nancy had sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one (and counting) great grandchildren.
I am Ray's sixteenth grandchild. I was very close to my grandpa, and though he couldn't speak that well because of his stroke, I knew him. He is remembered as a brave, confident, hardworking man who loves his family, and is greatly missed. I love you, grandpa.
He grew up on a farm, where his father thrived and they did well, until the Great Depression hit and life was hard. He'd pick cotton and would give his younger sisters the cotton he picked so they would get paid. He was very smart and quiet, and skipped a grade and graduated high school early at the age of almost seventeen and joined the Navy as a Radio Man and then later on went to electronics, and was cleared for "Top Secret". Before he joined the Navy, he would tell his younger sister Mallie to tell their parents to sign for him, and she said, "No! You might get killed!" because they didn't want him to go. Eventually his father signed for him, and he paid his own way to Raleigh, North Carolina to take his test, since he wasn't allowed to in Spartanburg. He scored so high on his test that the Navy waivered his wait. He weighed 112 pounds when he left for the Navy.
In 1948, he met Nancy Lou Gossett at a military dinner thrown for her father's squadron (Ray's squadron threw the dinner for Nancy's father's squadron). They exchanged numbers and he would call her over the course of two weeks, though she wouldn't answer because she was at a play rehearsal for church. He called one last time and they went out on a date. On January 28, 1950, they were married in San Diego, California, where her father and he were stationed. They went to Palm Springs on their honeymoon. In March of that same year, Nancy found out she was pregnant. If a boy, he said, he wanted it to be named after himself. Not soon after finding out about his unborn child, Ray had to fight in the Korean War, leaving Nancy with her mother. Sometime before the baby was due, Nancy heard about a plane that had had been shot by the North Koreans and barely made it back to the Navy base; it was a plane that Ray flew. She told her mother, "That's Ray's plane." Her mother told her not to worry, but it turned out to be Ray's plane after all. He turned up fine.
On November 22, 1950, in Coronado, California, Nancy gave birth to Ray Cecil Easler, Jr. Ray--who was in China--knew of her due date, and flowers were delivered to her room, to her surprise. Ray came home a few months later, and when they were in the car heading home, Ray Jr, who Nancy had shown pictures of Ray Sr to, couldn't stop looking at Ray Sr, knowing that was his father because of the pictures Nancy had shown him.
On April 4, 1953, while stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, Nancy gave birth to Nancy Louise Easler (goes by Louise). Ray was out of town for her birth. He named all of their children, and was only at the hospital for their third child's birth, since he wasn't deployed. In Honolulu, Hawaii on March 18, 1956, they had their third child, a daughter Mary Elizabeth Easler. Ray was at the hospital when she was born (not in the room; they didn't allow men in the room at this time). When Ray got called up (Nancy had short labors), Nancy had been in labor for just thirty minutes. So when Ray got called up, another man in the hospital who had been there longer, said, "Hey! That's not fair, he just got here!" After Mary was born, all five of them moved to New England, settling in Rhode Island in 1959. On May 26, 1961, they had their fourth and final child, John Orien Easler in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
A few years later in 1963, they moved back to California from the East Coast, settling in San Diego, then they went to San Jose in 1968, and then they moved back down to San Diego in 1971. Ray became a real estate attorney in 1978.
Not many years passed since he became an attorney when Ray suffered a massive stroke on December 7, 1981, on the left side of his brain, causing him to never speak in full sentences ever again. He enjoyed his family and watching his own children have children of their own, and watched as his grandchildren had children, until he passed away on August 26, 2004 in his San Diego home with Nancy right by him. He is missed and will always be remembered.
Ray and Nancy had sixteen grandchildren and twenty-one (and counting) great grandchildren.
I am Ray's sixteenth grandchild. I was very close to my grandpa, and though he couldn't speak that well because of his stroke, I knew him. He is remembered as a brave, confident, hardworking man who loves his family, and is greatly missed. I love you, grandpa.
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