Raymond Bahr Wrabley

All services are private

Raymond “Ray” Bahr Wrabley, Sr., 88, of Gambrills, Maryland and Lewes, Delaware died suddenly on Friday, April 17, 2020.

Born on February 19, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ray was the son of William Joseph Wrabley, Sr., a painter, and Margaret Bahr, a homemaker. Growing up in “DAHN-TAHN” Pittsburgh, as Ray would say, he and his two cousins, Robert “Bobby” Wrabley and Donald “Donny” Doyle, the “3 Twins” as they were known, along with their neighbor Raymond “Holl” Holleran ruled the world of Lower Oakland. From the Jones and Laughlin steel mills on the Monongahela River in the south through Schenley Park in the north, the misadventures of the Parkview Avenue Gang are legendary  --  sledding disasters while “hauling ashes” on a cold December day; breaking into the Carnegie Tech (Mellon) gym for weekend pickup basketball games; and sneaking into Forbes Field to watch the hapless Steelers of the 1940’s just to name a few.

Surviving these childhood adventures with a few scars but even better stories, Ray graduated with honors as an All-City halfback from Central Catholic High School in 1950. He went on to similar academic and athletic success at St. Vincent’s College, an all-boys Catholic liberal arts school in Latrobe, Pennsylvania where he was the star halfback and quarterback and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in 1954.  During that time, he met the captain of the cheerleading squad the former Mary Ellen Higgins who was a student at the all-girls school Seton Hill College (now Seton Hill University) down the road in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.  Ray and Mary Ellen married on August 6, 1955 in the Chapel at Seton Hill.

Upon graduation, Ray enlisted in the Marine Corps and entered into Officers Candidate School (OCS) at Quantico, Virginia and was soon commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. At the same time, Ray and Mary Ellen started a family, having six children in seven years.  After leaving the Corps, Ray completed a Master of Science degree in Economics at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, and spent thirty years as a successful investment consultant.

Ray exemplified two Marine Corps mottos Semper Fidelis “always faithful” and Ductos Exemplo “lead by example”.  Married for almost sixty-five years, his wife Dr. Mary Ellen Wrabley passed away this past Fall after a long battle with cancer. Ray was by her side supporting her in the end as he did through out her life.  As a child of the Depression, the Silent Generation, Ray was a man ahead of his time.  He deeply believed that men and women are equal, and he modeled that in all aspects of his life for his three daughters and three sons, and all the grandchildren and great grandchildren to follow.

Family was the most important thing for Ray.  He attended every event he could whether it was swim meets, soccer, T-Ball, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Dance Recitals, Plays, and Musicals. You name it, he was there, and he loved it. Yet, Ray was also a very talented painter and storyteller in his own right. With an eye and an ear for details that truly captured the moment and a sense of humor and irony that left everyone smiling.  His grandchildren called him “emoji man”. Ray embraced technology early on.  You could always expect a text to have googly eyes or a laughing face inserted somewhere in the message.

Ray is survived by his six children and their spouses, MaryLouise Wrabley and Philip Edgerly, Lisa and Jeffrey O’Brien, Raymond (Jr.) and Susan Wrabley, Deirdre and Michael Canales, Matthew Wrabley, and Kevin and Robin Wrabley; eighteen grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, his brother William J. Wrabley Jr., six nieces and nephews, numerous cousins  – and the other half of the “3 Twins” his cousins Robert Wrabley and Donald Doyle.

A service to remember and honor the incredible life of Raymond Wrabley will be scheduled at a time in the future when we all can attend safely.