Obituary of Ray William Beitzel

Ray W. Beitzel of Ruskin, FL passed away Saturday, May 2, 2020, in his home.  Born March 2, 1940, in Bittinger MD, he was the son of the late Marvin E. and Leona (Brenneman) Beitzel.

Ray graduated from Northern High School in 1958 and attended a mechanic’s school in Nashville, TN.  In 1961, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a helicopter mechanic at Ft. Rucker, AL and in 1965, Ray and his family moved to Northern Virginia where he worked as a mechanic and started his own business.  In 1973, he and his family moved to Cumberland, MD where he had a MAC Tool business and then had a service station from 1974 – 1987.  He semi-retired in 1987 and became a long-distance truck driver.

Ray retired in 2009 and enjoyed traveling, volunteering in his church, being a hospice volunteer and spending time with his family.

Ray is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Jo (Owens).  Also surviving are:  his daughters, Steffany R. Watson and her husband Rick, Bristow, VA, Michelle Emerick and her husband Andy, Martinsburg, WV; his grandchildren Matthew, Andrew, Abbey, Kaitlyn, Kendra and Maggie; his great-grandchildren, Aaliyah, Hadassah, Hosea, Kosta, Avagael, Ezraela, Hayden, Alessia, Kealan and Malakai; his brother, Roger (Sylvia) Beitzel, his sister Ruthann (Buddy) Curtis, his brother, Ronald (Donna) Beitzel and sister in-law Bonnie (Wendell) Collier.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to:  Christ Lutheran Church, 1222 Vocke Road, Cumberland, MD 21502, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 22 Maynardier Ridge Rd., Bittinger MD 21522 or Bittinger Fire Dept., 176 Brenneman Road, Bittinger, MD 21522.

A memorial service is being planned for a later date.  Interment will be at Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery.