Posted on 03/28/2009 3:36:03 PM PDT by Lisa_from Buckeye Country
He passed peacefully around 11 am with his step son and step daughter by his side. I got the call from his step-son, but have just been able to calm myself to let all of you know. Please share your thoughts, prayers, or a favorite story of Ray.
You will be missed.
We had many adventures together here on FR for quite awhile. Rest in peace, friend. Prayers for his soul and for loved ones left behind.
God Rest his soul.
Prayers for his friends and family. RIP fellow FReeper, and rest in the arms of your Heavenly Father.
Very sad. God rest his soul.
Sorry to hear that. He will be missed.
My precious Ray, who will always be the love of my life, and he told me I was his, is in my heart tonight. I know he's in a better place, and that is keeping me going. I don't think I'll be able to sleep, so reading all of your kind posts mean so much to me.
We just always thought we would have more time to get back together, so, as my dear daughter told me tonight, we can never take anything for granted. If you have something precious, don't think you have tomorrow, or the next day.....because you may not.
I will always treasure the last day I spent with him 2 weeks ago today, and for the last time, we held each other, and shared our feelings about the amazing bond we had for each other one final time. He was so weak, yet so strong in expessing his love for me through his words.
Thanks so much and God bless for your kind words for my Ray
Below is one of many posts I was found, written in our home at the time on 12-24-2004, and I thought I'd share it with all of you:
Merry Christmas to all my fellow FReepers! So much has happened in the year since I joined FR. I lost my hero, my dear daddy, seven months ago tomorrow, on May 25th. Free Republic was such a refuge for me. At that time, I lived next door to my parents, and was with my dad during his last days almost 24/7. Every once in awhile I would pop over to my house to post or read something here at Free Republic. It was invaluable for taking my mind off of things. After he passed, the support that I received from the FR folks was incredible. I'll never forget it. During the presidential election, I met a very special FReeper. Throughout our initial FReepmail correspondence, we did not even know we were from the same town! But things happened quickly between us, as we are soul mates, and now engaged. I will forever be grateful to Free Republic for helping me finding the man of my dreams, Ray (Common Tator). So this Christmas will be rather bittersweet for me. However, I am so very thankful for my children, fiancé, family and friends. Also, a big kudos to all the folks at the Canteen for the wonderful work they do! In closing I would just like to say thanks to Jim Robinson and my special FReeper friends....and I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas.
Lord, embrace the soul of your servant Ray.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
I always enjoyed his posts. In my early years on FR I was mostly interested in libertarianism and he never ceased to remind us all how far from the reality of electoral politics libertarian theorizing was. He was calm, friendly and down-to-earth about it. He was on my Pursuit of Liberty ping list, but commented rarely.
Rest in peace.
Prayers lifted for Ray and his family.
My sympathies to his family. I’ve always enjoyed his humor and insight. He will be missed.
RIP, fellow Freeper. Prayers up.
BTTT
A wonderfully incisive commentator, and patriot, he was a gift to us all. The Lord’s peace to all his family.
How sad! Prayers for COMMON TATOR and all who love him.
God bless him.
Prayers UP!
My condolences to his family
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