Ray D. Thrower

Ray D. Thrower, age 83, of Phoenix, AZ, formerly of Waco, passed away Wednesday morning, April 19, 2017 in Phoenix after a brief illness. Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 28, 2017 at Gerald Cemetery near Leroy, with Rev. Todd Ewing officiating. Military Rites will be conducted by West Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive visitors from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at Aderhold Funeral Home in West. Ray was born February 11, 1934 in the oil boom town of Borger, in the Texas Panhandle. He was the only child of the late Dr. Delbert Thomas Thrower and Dr. Willie Novelene Brandon Thrower. Ray graduated from Borger High School. He actively researched his family genealogy and stayed in contact with childhood and military friends up to the end of his life. Ray was married to Glenda Jo Simmons of Littlefield, Texas on February 11, 1956. After he and Glenda Jo divorced, he subsequently married Frankie Vela Arthur Baldwin Ramicone on March 16, 1985. The two lived a life of romance and adventure until her death on December 5, 2006. Ray enlisted in the US Army in 1951. He served as a Sergeant working around the world with the Cold War era early warning radar. This work started his globe-hopping and furthered his "international man of mystery" persona. Ray was a registered professional engineer, certified engineer first class. He published over one hundred articles, for both technical and general purpose magazines. Ray also authored three books, and received great joy from giving them out. He formed several electronic companies, ending with Globetrotting Services. Rays engineering career saw him responsible for engineering and instillation of telecommunication networks throughout the world. He worked in countries as diverse as Bermuda, Jamaica, Egypt, Israel, Australia, Austria, Italy, Japan, China, as well as the South Pacific Islands. Ray was the founding President of the National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers, now iNARTE. Ray was a man of the world and traveled extensively for pleasure as well as business. He participated in archeological digs in Israel, Palestine, and Egypt. Frankie was the consummate travel companion and together they made friends across the globe. Languages were a passion of Rays and he never missed the opportunity to practice his linguistic abilities. Nothing caught his attention quite like hearing a foreign language. He would always enthusiastically engage strangers in elevators, waiting rooms and restaurants hoping to trade a greeting in anything but English. Ray had diverse interests. He held a private pilots license and flew his Beechcraft Debonair around the country for both pleasure and business. Ray was also a graduate of the Methodist seminary and served as a part time pastor at The Leroy Church in Leroy, Texas. After his 2006 move to Phoenix, AZ, he frequented the Phoenix Opera with friends. Ray derived great pleasure in listening to audio books, and classical music, following the world news, outings to Smash Burger with his grandkids, and keeping in touch with old friends. Ray will be remembered for his positive attitude, love of jokes, and eccentric personality. His gregarious demeanor will be missed here as he embarks on his last great adventure. Ray is also preceded in death by his parents; a son, Kelly Thrower; and half- brother, Kim Thrower. Survivors include two sons, Glen Thrower and wife Denise, and Eric Thrower and wife Sarah; half-brother, Mark Thrower; half-sister, Jana Lizama; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Leroy Church.