Ray Seth Hart

Ray Seth Hart, 82, of Hastings, formerly of the DeWitt/Mason/Lansing area, died peacefully at home of Vascular Dementia early Monday morning, February 3, 2014, in the arms of his wife, Mary Lou Gray-Hart.

According to his wishes, cremation has taken place.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 15th at Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings from 10:30 am to 12:30, immediately followed by the Memorial Service at 12:30 pm.

Ray was born October 27, 1931, in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Harley A and Edith V. Stull-Hart.  He joined the Navy Reserves in 1947.  Following graduation from DeWitt High School in 1950, he worked at Motor Wheel Corporation in Lansing until being called to active duty in 1951.  He was a Veteran of the Korean War, serving aboard the Destroyer Escort, USS Hemminger, on both foreign and domestic deployments and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.  He completed his Naval career in 1954 as 2nd Class Petty Officer.

Ray then attended MSU on the G.I. Bill graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy.  Early employment was at MSU with Professor Everson in corn breeding and cross pollination; later in sales with W.R. Grace Chemical Company; and then co-owning a drywall business. His last employment was with General Motors in Lansing in Technical Layout, retiring in 1996.

Ray was a kind, caring, family-oriented, Godly man with bright blue eyes and a broad smile.  He was an all around handy-man from tinkering with his cars to building his first home.  He loved to read, golf, fish and hunt.  He was especially fond of reading about the Civil War and visited the Naval Civil War Museum in Columbus, Georgia.  He toured Civil War cemeteries including the southern Civil War POW camp in Andersonville, Georgia, where Yankee POW's were held during the Civil War.  During a side trip to the southern POW camp, he visited Plains, Georgia, where he met former President Jimmy Carter and former first Lady Rosalynn Carter.  He took great delight in preparing the annual Thanksgiving Day turkey for all his family until he was no longer able, and he especially loved meals made with venison.

On December 28, 1991, Ray married Mary Lou Gray of Hastings, expanding his family with two more children and 5 more grandchildren.

Ray and Mary Lou enjoyed traveling.  He always said he wanted to see what was around the next corner.  Ray and Mary Lou travelled throughout their marriage, spending 16 winters in Venice, Florida, hosting family and friends where he loved the water, walking various beaches to hunt sea shells and shark teeth.  He was always willing to try new things including snorkeling, scuba diving and para-sailing.  He enjoyed watching the birds, dolphins and gaters.  He loved deep sea fishing and took particular delight in cooking his catch.

Surviving are Ray's wife, Mary Lou; his children Michelle Kuikstra, Michael (Debra) Hart; Rebecca Chaney and Susan and Patrick McGarry; ten grandchildren, Damara (Lance) Welch; Danielle (Greg) Snyder; Melynie (Jason) Reichard; Kristy Betke; Rebecca Ashley Hart; Doug (Lisa) Chaney; Jessica (Chris) Schmitt; Bryan (Heather) Chaney; Katie and David Cox and Joseph McGarry; 17 great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law Nancy (Morley) and Kelly Hodges, sister, Sandra K. Hart; sister-in-law, Dorothy (Clifford) Hart; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Frederick J. Antczak and Deborah Hughes; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceding him in death were his mother and step-father, Edith V. (Stull-Hart) Morley and Alexander Morley; his father, Harley A. Hart; son Mitchell Hart;  son-in-law Daniel Kuikstra; sister and brother-in-law Joyce and Forrest Dunlap; his brother Clifford Hart; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins; and Laura Penoyer-Hart, mother of his children.

Memorial contributions may be made in Ray's memory to Pennock Homecare & Hospice Services, W. State Street in Hastings, MI  49058.