More detail on this person: SALEM -- Umatilla
native Richard "Pat" Paul Bray, 72, a retired
Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and longtime
employee of the Marion County Sheriff's
Department, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003.
The funeral will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Virgil T.
Golden Funeral Service, 605 Commercial St., S.E.
at Oak in Salem.
The youngest of 12 children, Mr. Bray was born
July 31, 1931, at Umatilla. He grew up in Umatilla
and graduated from Umatilla High School.
In 1950, he joined the Marine Corps, serving in
the Korean War, where he received two Purple
Hearts. After the Korean war he was commissioned
as an officer and attended flight school. He
served in Vietnam during 1964-65, earning a
Distinguished Flying Cross. He was also a member
of the Commander Helicopter Squadron of HMH-363
at Santa Ana, Calif. He retired from the Marines
in 1973 after 23 years of service.
The family returned to Oregon where he worked for
the Marion County Sheriff's Department and retired
from private business in 1994.
Survivors include his wife, Willa; sons, Barry and
Rodney, both of Salem, and Dale of Eugene; six
grandchildren; brothers, Walter of San Jose,
Calif., and Bruce of Albany; and sister, Fern
Rhode of Las Vegas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the
American Diabetes Association, Oregon Affilliate,
Inc., 380 S.E. Spokane St., No. 110, Portland, OR
97202.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 11/02/2023
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