Raymond Francis Sarchet, 88, of New Carlisle, Ohio, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2022, at Hospice of Dayton after a sudden illness.
Ray was born on November 24, 1933, to Raymond Clifford Sarchet and Bessie Hazel Milligan in Kimbolton, Ohio. After Ray graduated from Kimbolton High School in 1950, he enlisted in the US Army at the age of 17. His service brought him from Ft. Knox, KY to Korea and Japan. He returned to the US as a proud Veteran of the Korean War. He was then stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA, in the 71st AAA Missile Battalion.
In 1956, Ray met Ann Marie Strenko in Washington D.C. They married and went on to have five children: Sharon Rae, Raymond Francis, Jr., Denise Marie, Douglas Alan (deceased), and LTC (R) Byron Lee. Ray and Ann Marie were happily married for 58 years until Ann Marie passed in 2014. After an honorable discharge from service, they relocated to Akron, OH where he worked for General Tire Corp. He flourished in the tire business for 44 years; and was a partner in the founding of Triple S Tire, in 1980 in Washington, Indiana.
Ray built his own sailboat, a Robert’s 34, with help from his devoted wife, Ann Marie, son Byron Lee, and nephew Michael Strenko. They launched “OverEasy” in Lake Michigan; she was determined seaworthy! Ray and Ann Marie began a wonderful adventure sailing through The Great Lakes to New York, through the Erie Canal, to the Inter Coastal Waterway, and on to the Bahamas. Many family members and new friends enjoyed the tropical lifestyle and happy atmosphere. Ray had the wisdom to stop, smell the roses, and spend time with those he loved. Always an adventurer, he converted a van into a camper to drive with Ann Marie to Alaska to witness the 2002 Summer Solstice. It was the beginning of a great love affair with the wild state of Alaska. He returned many times with friends and family members.
In addition to Ray’s love of adventure, he had a deep and devoted love of family. He was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed his help. He used his creative ingenuity to find a solution to every problem. He was a great comfort to family and friends time and again.
Ray met Kate Savage in 2020 and finally had an adventure partner and best friend again. They bonded quickly, spending hours a day on the phone and going on countless trips. They sailed in the Gulf of Mexico, drove from California to Michigan, and flew in a helicopter over Mt. Denali in Alaska! Kate gave Ray a true gift of the love of life for his last two years that the Sarchet family will be forever grateful for.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife Ann Marie and son Douglas. He is survived by devoted friend Kate Savage; his children, Sharon Sarchet (Louis Sasso), Raymond Sarchet Jr. (Michele), Denise Trafelet (James), and LTC (R) Byron Lee Sarchet (Katherine); ten grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren. Two of his five siblings survive, Daniel Sarchet and Martha Jane Carruthers. Ray will be deeply missed by immediate and extended family. We pray God will bless and comfort them all until we are reunited in His kingdom.
Services will be held at Addy Funeral Home, 406 West State Street, Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832 on May 19, 2022. Visitation is from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm with a memorial service to follow at 1:00 pm. For those who wish to attend the interment, it will be held immediately after at the Kimbolton Cemetery, 71774 Eighth Street Road, Kimbolton, Ohio 43725.
Donations in Ray’s memory can be made to the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund, https://www.nfwf.org, an organization Ray felt strongly about.
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Addy Funeral Home
406 West State Street
Newcomerstown, OH 43832
740-498-8111
www.addyfuneralhome.com