Ray was born in Owings, West Virginia in 1925 , the youngest of 6 children. After high school he joined the US Navy and served proudly during World War II. After leaving the Navy he went back to West Virginia and started to work in the coal mines . But his time in the mines didn't last long because the thought of being covered in coal all the time was not for him.

After that short stint , he took a job working for the rail roads where he could stay clean . He eventually transferred from the snow in the North to the sunshine of Florida.

Ray started bowling in Florida and until his last years , bowled on leagues a few times a week and made a lot of great friends and memories. You always knew when you asked him how he was doing, and he responded with " if I was doing any better, I would be in trouble " that it was going to be a good day.

He had the love of Nancy for 37 great years, and she was by his side no matter what and loved him unconditionally. To see the love and admiration they had for each other was amazing . F rom them wearing the same outfits to being there for each other. Ray was blessed with four daughters : Linda, Sharon, Sheila, and Kathy . He was not only a father but someone we could all look up to and be lucky to say he was in our lives. To add to the family, he had 7 grandkids David, Missy, Sport, Susie, Candy, Britney, and Ernie. Each with their own personalities and no matter what , he loved them and would of did anything in his power for them. And, because of that , each is a lot better thanks to having him as their grandpa.

Whether you called him Daddy or grandpa , Ray Vandergrift was an amazing man . He will truly be missed but , in that, we should not be sad. Instead, we should celebrate the amazing impact he made on all of our lives. He was , and will forever remain, the rock that held our family together.