The Broken Chain
By Ron Trammer

We little knew that day,
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death, we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you.
You did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide.
And although we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.



Raymond LaVerne Hill passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on October 9th, 2014 at the age of 77. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Saundra, along with his children (Ray & Melanie Hill, Steve Hill, and Stacy & Bill Racz), grandchildren (Abby, Brian, Mackenzie, Billy, and Lindsay), great-grandson, Kaden, his brother, Bud, and sister-in-law, Jane. He is preceded by his mother, Dorthea Hill, and father, Rex E. Hill.

Though no one was prepared to lose him so suddenly, his loved ones can take comfort in the fact that his life was full of love and friendship. Certainly no one loved him more than his wife, who selected him as the love of her life when she was a middle school student in Redfield, Iowa. They enjoyed 55 long years of marriage, love, and partnership, which could be due in part to a message she wrote in his high school yearbook. The note reads something to the effect of: “I want to be the one who makes your dinner every night. But if I’m not watch out.” He married her in 1959, and she got exactly what she asked for— he indeed let her make his dinner every single night.

Shortly after getting married, Ray was called to serve in the United States Army. He and Saundra moved to Germany, where they bought beer for four dollars a case and babysat to earn extra money for trips to Paris. He was honorably discharged in 1965.

Ray then went to work for Chrysler, which took him and his growing family from Dallas to Omaha, Kansas City, and Detroit. It was his time in Dallas that turned him into a huge Cowboys fan. In fact, his secretary eventually learned that when the Cowboys lost on Sunday, Ray would be in a terrible mood on Monday. To soften the blow of a Cowboys loss, she took to throwing a bag of peanut m&m’s into his office on Monday morning and swiftly closing the door. This cheered him up considerably.

His career with Chrysler lasted 27 years, all the way until his retirement in 1994. Many of his coworkers became lifelong, cherished friends, and his years with the company fostered so much pride in him for a Chrysler-made vehicle that his children and grandchildren were made to understand that if they were going to own a vehicle, it had to be a Chrysler.

He loved golfing, fishing, boating, the Kansas Jayhawks, and America. He made a point to support the country’s economy by seeking out American-made products whenever he could. His shopping habits often aligned with his political beliefs, which proves the strength of his convictions.

Purchasing his home at the Lake of the Ozarks in 1997 opened the door to his postretirement passions of boating, spending time with family, and “feeshing.” No one could match his prowess in the art of catching catfish. Looking through photos of him over the years, the signature shot is hands-down something to do with him on his dock, holding up a fat catfish.

The lake became a place for summertime family reunions, allowing for extended family relationships that likely would not have otherwise been developed to the extent they have been. Ray was the patriarch and captain of the lake, taking his family out in the boat to lunches and dinners at Captain Ron’s, Paradise Cove, and Papa Chubbie’s. In recent years, his arthritis slowed him from riding the jet-ski and making as many trips down to the dock. Boating was also becoming a challenge, but he was still known to give in to a boat ride if one of his granddaughters said, “please, Grandpa?”

Some of his most cherished friendships were made at the lake. He enjoyed sipping wine on the patio with his neighbors, exploring Missouri wineries and taking jet-ski trips “dam to dam”. The lake was an immensely special place to him. It was where he came alive and got to do all the things he loved with the people he loved.

His friends and family knew him as a witty jokester who could fix just about anything. He loved being silly and taking goofy photos. Perhaps his best quality, though, was that he never missed an opportunity to tell his family how much he loved them. That’s often something that goes overlooked until someone passes, but not in his case. It didn’t have to be a special occasion for him to tell his grandchildren they were beautiful, handsome, talented, special, and incredibly loved. He had photos of his kids and grandkids on his computer screens and taped in his car. He went to sports games, band concerts, craft shows, gymnastics meets, and graduations. He didn’t have to say how he felt the day he passed away. Everyone in his family already knew.

In the days since his passing, the support his family has received from his friends and extended family shows just how much he was loved in return. Though this time is incredibly painful and difficult, we can all be happy for him that in the big picture, his life was long and full and good. Just in the past month, he made trips to the lake, helped his granddaughter move home from Colorado, celebrated with family, became a greatgrandfather, babysat his great-grandson, sipped the original American cocktail, and so much more.

It seems appropriate to honor him by raising a glass of your favorite beverage in his name. After that, though, honor him by cherishing time with your family. Don’t miss an opportunity to let them know how much you love and care about them. Go to their games, their parties, their ceremonies, their appointments. Pick up the phone (not while you’re driving). You truly never know what each day will bring. We are thankful above all else that because of how he lived, we don’t have those regrets.

Ray, Dad, Grandpa, Papa—we love you and miss you. We will carry on until we are all called home and our family chain links again.




Memorial contributions may be given to the Wounded Warrior Project, Attn: Advanced Guard, P O Box 758517 ~ Topeka, KS 66675