Ray J. Coburn of Springfield, Ore., went to be with Jesus on June 28, 2021 at the age of 84.
He was born on Nov. 8, 1936 in Eatonville, Wash., to Arthur and Nell Coburn.
He attended Northwest Christian College where he met the love of his life, Maxine Potter. They married in September of 1960. He was a mechanic who worked on semi trucks and big equipment. In his retirement years he helped his wife with her in-home daycare, making the kids laugh by letting them snap his suspenders and being ornery with the parents as they came through the door. He loved to go camping at any time during the year to “get mama out of the house” and you could often find him tinkering in his shop or doing some project at the home he lived in for 58 years. He was a founding member of Springfield Faith Center where he served as a greeter for decades. He would often ask people as they walked through the door, “Do you have your ticket?” He was a stranger to no one and if you asked him how he was, his trademark response was, “Ya got two hours?”
He is survived by his wife of 60+ years, Maxine of Springfield, his daughter Jackie of Springfield and sons Dale (Laura) of Springfield, James (Cecelia) of Springfield, his “adopted” daughter Tracy Reiker of Salem, and his ‘adopted’ kids Dan and Janel Garno of Blissfield, Mich., 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one grand dog and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Springfield Faith Center on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021 at 11 a.m. Reception following. Arrangements by Andreason Cremation & Burial Service.
“Papa Ray” will be forever loved and greatly missed!
