Ray Burrows

Ray Asa Burrows

December 24, 1931 ~ October 18, 2019

Ray Asa Burrows passed away peacefully at home in Ogden, Utah, on October 18, 2019, at the age of 87.

Ray and his twin sister Reva were born on December 24, 1931, in Hatch, Utah.  Ray didn’t have the blessing of knowing his dear mother Lauretta who died in childbirth. But he was blessed with another sweet mother, his Aunt Effel who took the newborns in her arms and raised them as her own.

Ray had a happy childhood with many friends. He graduated from Panguitch High School. After graduating, Ray enlisted in the Air Force.  He served in the Korean War as a flight engineer on a B-25 Mitchell. His crew flew night missions and dropped bombs on any lights they could see.

When Ray returned from Korea, he married Ireta Evans.  The couple lived in Hatch, Utah, before moving to Logan to attend Utah State University and begin a family.  During this time Ray supported his family by driving a logging truck in Southern Utah during the summer. Ray completed a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering and moved the family to Sunnyvale, California, to work at Lockheed.

The family moved to North Ogden, Utah for Ray’s work at Thiokol as a lead engineer in the missile program. He attended and worked on many missile launches at Cape Canaveral and in the Space Shuttle program. Ray retired from Thiokol and spent time in Hatch, Utah, doing what he loved:  motorcycling, fishing, hunting, hiking, spending time with family and friends and tinkering. He was a child of the depression and could fix anything with enough bailing wire, electrical tape and vise grips. He was a lover of the soldering iron.

He met Alaina Williams at a dance. Ray finally convinced her to marry him in 1995.  They danced their way through 24 years of happiness. Ray and Alaina built a home in Hatch and spent most of their summers hosting family and friends.  Winters were spent in the home in Ogden.

Ray was easy to love and damn funny.

Ray was preceded in death by all his siblings except his brother Leland Riggs.

Ray’s loving family includes his children:  Daniel Ray (Carolyn), Brett L., Brian J.  (Jennifer) and Christine (Susan Curtis); Alaina’s children:  Kayle (Flora), Ann (John), Karl (Theresa), Kleon (Kim), Dave, Alaina (Troy), and Bill. Ray also leaves behind 22 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 25, 2019 at 2 p.m. at the Sullivan Hollow 2nd Ward Chapel, 976 33rd Street, Ogden. Friends may visit with family on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. and Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the church.

Friends may visit with family on Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Hatch Ward Chapel, 24 South Main Street. Interment, Hatch Cemetery at 2 p.m.

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