Final Salute

June 16, 1926 – April 23, 2020 Ray Foreaker June 16, 1926 to April 23, 2020 Ray Wesley Foreaker, Jr. died peacefully at his home in Santa Rosa, CA on April 23, 2020 at the age of 93.

Ray had the great fortune of being born with an unprecedented curiosity and a thirst for adventure.

Born to parents Ray Wesley Foreaker, Sr. and Gladys Peterson Foreaker, Ray was raised in Berkeley, California at 1908 Yolo Avenue.

As a boy, Ray built model airplanes with hand-cut pieces of balsa wood. At age 40 he earned his private pilot’s license. Later, in the garage of his San Rafael home, Ray spent nine years building a Smith Miniplane He named his plane 42PF–42 for his address on Edward Avenue in San Rafael and PF for Pappa Fox. Ray was a graduate of UC Berkeley with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a BS in Civil Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He was a registered Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, and a Licensed Building Contractor in the State of California.

Ray proudly served his country as a Lieutenant in the US Navy Civil Engineering Corps from 1948 to 1954.

He was the Vice President and owner of Copple Foreaker Associates, Inc. for Civil Engineering in San Rafael, CA.

Between 1971 and 1980 he served with distinction as the Director of Public Works for Marin County, CA.

A tireless and selfless volunteer, Ray served on numerous boards of directors, including the YMCA, Marin General Hospital, and the Marin Unit of the American Cancer Society. He was a proud member and former president of Rotary.

Ray was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and was both an Eagle Scout and a Scout Master.

Ray loved an interesting conversation and the exchange of creative ideas and points of view. He leaves a legacy of thoughtful inquisitiveness and a zest for life.

Ray is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Jeanne Carithers Foreaker, a native of Santa Rosa, his sister Doris of Washington State, and his four sons, Donald, Michael (Danielle), Steven, and John (Debbie), and eight grandchildren.