More detail on this person: Reynolds "Ray" Allen Dabney, Cpt. USAR. Ray Dabney, 67, of Uvalde,
passed away in Alpine, Texas on September 15, 2015. He was born September 23, 1947 in Munich,
Germany to Walter Davis Dabney, Jr. and Charlotte Ramsey. He was the second of nine children, and
was also very close to his numerous cousins.
He spent his childhood and then high school years in San Antonio and Uvalde, graduating from
Highland Park High School in Dallas in 1966. He attended Texas A&M University in College Station,
and was a member of the Corps of Cadets company D-1 "Spider D", graduating with the Fightin' Texas
Aggie Class of 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation. Upon
graduation, Ray was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army, spending 13 months in 1972
and 1973 flying helicopters with the 1st of the 9th Air Cavalry F Troop in Vietnam, earning a Bronze
Star and fourteen Air Medals.
After being honorably discharged as a Captain, he spent a short time in Georgia and then returned to
Texas and attended graduate school while working at the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority in Edna,
Texas.
In 1977 he married his sweetheart, Laura Dishman, in Uvalde. During their time in Edna, they had
two children. In 1981, the family returned to Uvalde where Ray started working for his
father-in-law at Kinney County Wool & Mohair. In 1991, he began working for Del Monte Foods. He
thoroughly enjoyed becoming an expert on the crops of the Winter Garden area, and especially working
with and becoming friends with, his coworkers and numerous farmers in the area.
Ray and Laura both retired in 2011. They spent the last four years traveling to various places in
Europe, as well as around the United States, kayaking, and spending as much time as possible with
their children and grandchildren. They also began catering for local dove hunters and enjoyed the
people they met, and especially the time spent together doing something they loved and did so well.
Ray was known near and far for his famous brisket, and other mouthwatering culinary creations,
especially anything he threw on the grill. His family would say his love language was cooking for
others.
Ray was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, USA and spent a great deal of his time
faithfully serving his local church in several capacities. Ray had a beautiful singing voice and
was part of the Guitars and Friends group at church, singing for the congregation and various other
groups in the community.
Ray is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Laura; daughter, Charla Jenkins and husband, Richard
of Uvalde; son, Major Will Dabney, USAF, and wife, Amy of Ramstein Air Base Germany; one
grandson, Truett Jenkins of Uvalde; three granddaughters, Reese Jenkins of Uvalde, Charley Cate
Dabney of Germany and Avery Grace Jenkins of Uvalde; five sisters, Margaret Hunter and husband, Jim
of Canton, Georgia, Frances Brown and husband, Bob of Denver, Colorado, Charlotte Gazzaniga and
husband, Mike of Carpinteria, California, Lenoir Melton and husband, George of Ft. Collins,
Colorado, and Deezy Rice and husband, Rusty of Dallas; three brothers, Walt Dabney and wife, Carey
of Moab, Utah, John A. Smylie and wife, Betty of Dallas, and Chris Smylie and wife, Marin of
Brooklyn, New York; three "brothers", Walter Ray Richardson, and wife, Martha of Austin, Shinji
Konno and wife, Urara of Tampa, Florida, and Tom Putamanonda and wife, Jerry of Bangkok, Thailand;
numerous nieces and nephews, including Alexis Dabney, Robyn Gold and husband, Nate, Andy Hunter
and wife, Joan, Laura Hunter, Lindsay Hunter, Matthew Brown and wife, Anne Marie, Ramsey Brown,
Francesca Gazzaniga and husband, Richard Novak, Zack Gazzaniga, Jimmy Cleaver, Neal Cleaver,
John Cleaver, Katelyn Smylie, Bill Smylie, Jake Smylie, Dabney Rice, Russell Rice, Sarah Hendler and
husband BJ, Brian Dishman and wife Lorraine, Reagan Dishman, and Kennan Dishman; and numerous
cousins who were like brothers and sisters to him.
He was preceded in death by his father, Walter Davis Dabney, Jr., his loving stepfather, John W.
Smylie, and his beloved mother, Charlotte Ramsey Dabney Smylie.
A service for the celebration of Ray's life was held at First Presbyterian Church Uvalde, September
23, 2015, his 68th birthday. A private internment ceremony was held the morning of September 24th
with family at Hillcrest Cemetery in Uvalde. Honorary pallbearers were the men of First
Presbyterian Church Uvalde, pilots in the 1st of the 9th Air Cavalry Vietnam '72-'73, Texas A&M
Corps of Cadets classmates of Company D-1 "Spider D", West Texas mule deer hunters, and the men
of the Uvalde agricultural community.
Memorial gifts in honor of Ray may be made to First Presbyterian Church Uvalde or the American Red
Cross.
Burial information: Hillcrest Cemetery, Uvalde, TX
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
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