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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