Ray Albert

Ray was born East of Nowata on May 19, 1936 to Lewis Wesley and Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) (Barnes) Albert, the youngest of four siblings. He passed away on September 15, 2011 in the Bartlesville Health & Rehab Center. He grew up in a Seventh Day Adventist household and later embraced the Southern Baptist faith. Like Father, like Son, Ray was a quiet man. As a boy, he grew weary of eating rabbit day after day. Baseball was his sport of choice. He became fond of and courted a young lady, Alpha Faye Neel. They were married for 57 years and blessed with three children. By way of example, a strong work ethic was passed along. Ray rode his horse to the Highway 60 Verdigris River bridge, where he and his life long friend, J D Woods, worked as rivet men. Rather than being drafted, he signed up for the US Air Force and was stationed in Abilene, TX. His deployment to Okinawa Japan was briefly delayed due to the birth of his first born, a daughter. During a stop-over at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the troops were graced by an Elvis Presley performance. As a United Iron Worker, he was a welder in the construction of the John Hancock building, a 100 story skyscraper built in Chicago, IL. After a days work, he would faithfully be found tossing a baseball to his young sons on the front lawn. Back in Oklahoma, he joined the United Mine Workers Union and served as President of the Local Rogers County #2 for several years. Ray knew the oilfield, farming and ranching businesses like the back of his hand. Ray is survived by his wife, Alpha Faye, a daughter Debi Faye Brewer and her husband Jeff of Bartlesville; two sons, Steven Ray and his wife Kristy of Winganon and Douglas Jay and his wife Diane of Nowata; five grandchildren, Josh, Jake and Amy, and Riley and Gage; three great-grandchildren, Gunter, Madyson, and Tanner; and life long friend, J D Woods. He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Wesley William and Jack Edward; and a sister, Doris Mae Belz.

Visitation Details

Friday, September 16th, 2011 12:00pm - 9:00pm, Benjamin Funeral Home

Service Details

Saturday, September 17th, 2011 10:00am, McMains Cemetery

Interment Details

McMains Cemetery