Raymond Joseph "Ray" Mountford, age 88 of Milan, passed away on September 26, 2024, at the Jackson Madison County General Hospital after a brief illness. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 5:30 PM at Bodkin Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 – 5:30 at the funeral home.

He was born on June 8, 1936, in Chicago, to Raymond John and Mary Frances Cantalupy Mountford and lived in Cicero. Ray was an excellent dancer and loved to bowl, hunt, fish and golf and he loved spending time with his family and friends. He was the Past President of the Gibson County Bass Club, Milan Golf and Country Club and the Milan Lion's Club.

He went to work for Ceco in 1955 in Cicero, IL as a Junior Breakdown Clerk for Production Control. In 1975, he transferred to Tennessee as part of the original staff of the new Milan plant, Ceco Door Products, and helped to make that facility one of the leading manufacturing locations of steel doors and frames in the country.  With Ceco's assistance, he went to Bethel College and graduated magna cum laude in 1985.  Ray retired as Director of Operations Development in 2001 after 46 years of faithful service. From his retirement and forward, he was affectionally known as "Uncle Ray".

in 1959, Ray became a proud solider in the U S Army.  His service got him interested in airplanes becoming an avid reader of plane books and building model airplanes.  Later he studied hard and got his pilot's license and he was half owner of a plane and he was also part owner of the Treehouse Lounge.

Ray is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 55 years, Sheila Mountford of Milan, belolved sister Nora Bulthuis, several nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Carl Perkins Center or Best Friends Animal Society at P O Box 567 Kanab, UT 84741.

Saying "goodbye" is heart wrenching, so instead we will say "goodnight" Dear Ray until we meet again.

Bodkin Funeral Home

731-686-3111