Raymond Terlicker, age 84, died at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle on Feb. 8, 2008.

Ray was born in Seattle Sept. 7, 1923, to Italian immigrants Antonio and Matilda Terlicher. He grew up in the now vanished Cascade logging towns of Nagrom, and Lester, Washington. Ray graduated from Lester High School in 1941, and went to work for the Northern Pacific Railroad. He served as a paratrooper during WWII, attaining the rank of sergeant, and was stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After the war, Ray became an engineer for the Northern Pacific and later, Burlington Northern Railroad. He retired in 1986.

On March 2, 1957 he married Colleen Schauer. They made their home in Seattle, and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2007. Ray was preceded in death by his son Randy Terlicker, a firefighter who died in the Pang Warehouse Fire in 1995. He is survived by his wife Colleen, son Anthony Terlicker, daughters Geri Sullivan, Kathleen Toivola, Theresa Evans, and Kimberley Moen, along with their spouses, and thirteen grandchildren.

Ray enjoyed the mountains, hunting and fishing, and country music. He was an avid gardener and shared many home-grown vegetables with family and friends. He loved being with his children and grandchildren.

A private funeral was held on February 13 at Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home in Seattle. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m., February 23, 2008 at Holy Family Church, 9622 20th Ave. S.W., Seattle. Gifts may be made in memory of Ray to the Randy Terlicker Memorial Endowment Fund at Holy Family School.