The oldest living legend and the veteran of Pearl Harbour attack, Ray Chavez died on Wednesday, predawn at an age of 106 years.
Kathleen Chavez who has been a live-in caregiver for his father said that he passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of the morning. Past few weeks saw a decline in Ray’s health. He was in hospice care when he died.
Ray Chavez had lived a quiet life after retiring from the Navy. He never talked much about the day of the incident, until he heard the other survivors speak of it a few years back in the 50th-anniversary memorial service in Hawaii.
He was so moved by the experience that he had been attending the memorial service regular ever since. In fact, he planned to go to the next memorial service next month if he hadn’t passed away.
So without further ado, let’s explore the life of the hero Ray Chavez. As we explore, let’s find out Ray Chavez bio and wiki facts, as well as his cause of death.
MOST POPULAR ON NEWS
- Why Did Police Short Dead Actress Vanessa Marquez? Explore Her Cause Of Death
- Aussie Instagram Model Sinead McNamara Died On A Billionaire’s Yacht, Her Cause Of Death?
- Australian-French visual artist Mirka Mora Died Age 90, Her Cause Of Death?
- Who is Late John McCain Son John Sidney McCain IV?
Who was Pearl Harbour veteran, Ray Chavez?
Then 27 years, Ray Chavez joined the US Navy and was posted in Pearl Harbour. During the incident of Pearl Harbour, Ray Chavez was sleeping after coming home from work. In the early morning of December 7, 1941, Ray’s wife Margaret woke him up.
“We are being attacked” his wife had said. “Who’s going to attack us? Nobody” he had retorted back. It wasn’t until he got up and looked outside- he was horrorstruck. Everything was black from the oil burning.
For the next nine days, Ray Chavez was continuously on duty. The sights he had seen has left him with an emotional scar that would never heal.
Still alive after the incident of Pearl Harbor, he continued to serve the US on transporting ships, delivery tanks, and Marines. He got involved in eight other Pacific battles before he retired in 1945.
Though he wasn’t physically injured in the war, he suffered a great mental tragedy. To make the matter worse, his daughter, son-in-law and their 18 months child were killed in a car accident in the early 1950s. This broke Ray Chavez and his wife.
They held on to their life, after the tragedy and adopted 5-year-old Kathleen from San Diego orphanage in 1957. Kathleen grew up to join Navy as the first woman jet engine mechanic. She had lived with her father since her mother’s death in the 1980s.
What was Ray Chavez cause of death?
The war veteran Ray Chavez lived a peaceful life. After retiring from the Navy he worked at a nursery. Later he ran his own landscaping and groundskeeping business in Poway.
He worked until the age of 96 years after which he retired. A decade later, at age 106, Ray Chavez died due to natural cause.
Though Ray Chavez was always modest to call himself a hero, he died the death of a hero after serving and loving his country for his entire life.
Ray Chavez Wiki-Bio: Biography
Ray Chavez age was 106 years at the time of his death. According to Ray Chavez wiki, he was born in 1911 in San Bernardino, California.
Ray’s parents were Mexican immigrant who died very young. He was only 10 years when his father, Atilano Chavez died. The cause of death of his father was cancer while his mother Juanita Chavez died of exhaustion.
Being of different ethnicity, Ray Chavez had a hard time growing up. Even when he was recruited in the Navy, he had to face racist comments and behaviors from his peers.
In the early 20s, he was married to his wife, Margaret and had a daughter with her. When his age was 27 years, Ray Chavez joined the Navy and was assigned to the minesweeper USS Condor at Pearl Harbour.
MOST POPULAR ON NEWS
- Why Did Police Short Dead Actress Vanessa Marquez? Explore Her Cause Of Death
- Aussie Instagram Model Sinead McNamara Died On A Billionaire’s Yacht, Her Cause Of Death?
- Australian-French visual artist Mirka Mora Died Age 90, Her Cause Of Death?
- Who is Late John McCain Son John Sidney McCain IV?
I had to send my thanks at least, for your in depth article on Mr. Chavez.
To live the life he lived, to not only experience the events of history he had seen but also be an important part of it, to lose the people he loved and still go on to live a purposeful life, is a life worth writing about. He should have not merely been noted at his time of death, but also been immortalized while living, giving due respect for his worthy deeds and given honorable mention while he could hear and read about it.
So many other articles “missed the ques” yet you expended recognizable due respect for Ray by showing more-than-normal interest in his deeds, his life and his accomplishments. Thanks to you, and to Ray Chavez, for going beyond the call.
Derrick J Drew
Missouri, USA