RANEY, William George (Bill)

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Tuesday, August 28, 2007 William George Raney, 86, ‘went west’ on Friday Aug. 24, 2007, after losing his battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marcella Keller Raney of Prescott; his children, Brian of Phoenix, W. Scott, wife Valerie and their four children of Vermont, daughter Gail and husband Jack Foley of Massachusetts, brother Tom of Cleveland, Ohio, and nieces and nephews. His sister, Betty, preceded him in death in 1998. Bill was the eldest child of Ann (Kolar) and William E. Raney of Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Shaker Heights High School and completed several years of collegiate work before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He served as a flight instructor before being stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. After the war, he worked as a consulting engineer, retiring in 1990 from Becht Engineering in New Jersey. He was very involved in aviation and community organizations in New Jersey, where he lived for 33 years, and then in Prescott for the last 12 years. He had 42 years of perfect attendance with the Rotary Club as well as being a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member of the QB's, EAA, AOPA, Military Pilots, Aviation Historical Society, the Sheriff's Air Group, Silver Wings Fraternity and the Flying Rotarians. He held several leadership positions in some of these organizations. He was a volunteer at the VA, YRMC and was instrumental in establishing the Arizona Sky Fair. A Celebration of Life with military honors will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007, at the VA Chapel, 500 Highway 89 in Prescott followed by a reception at the activity center, 1615 Coyote Road in Hidden Valley Ranch. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Bill's memory to the "Arizona Sky Fair" at Prescott Air FairAssoc., 6546 Crystel Lane, Prescott, Ariz., 86301, the VA at NAVAHCS Guest Services, Bidg. 15 Room 101, 500 Highway 89, Prescott, Ariz., 86313 or the charity of your choice. Chino Valley Funeral Home is caring for the family Information provided by survivors.
Posted by Judy Wight Branson on June 12, 2010

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