December 16, 1949 - May 29, 2020
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Ray Salloway on Friday, May 29, 2020 of pancreatic cancer at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital. Ray is survived by his wife Betty of 43 years, and sons Shaun and Keith. He was predeceased by his father Keith and mother Irene Salloway of Abbotsford. His younger sister Lynda passed away at age 9 in Halifax.
Ray was born in Shotley, England, immigrating to Nova Scotia, Canada with his parents in 1955, his father leaving the Royal Navy to join the Royal Canadian Navy. As a navy brat, Ray spent time as a child in Halifax, Dartmouth, HMCS Cornwallis, Esquimalt, back to Cornwallis and finally moving to Victoria in 1966 where he graduated from high school a few years later.
Ray's lifelong dream had been the RCMP, but after passing the exams he was rejected due to poor eyesight. For the next four years he worked summers on the CPR Steamship "Princes Margarite" on the Victoria to Seattle runs. During this time he had short stints at UVic, drafting school, BCIT (electronics) and with the Canadian Coast Guard, resupplying lighthouses, maintaining navigation buoys and living on weather ships out in the Pacific. He finally settled into a job with BC Tel, where he worked for 35 years in installation, repair and some time in the office, until retiring in May 2008. He loved the job and the people.
In 1977 Ray married Betty Ann Hamm, daughter of Henry and Mary Hamm of Abbotsford. Because of Ray's small family he readily adopted Betty's parents, sisters and brother. He especially loved their family gatherings on holidays, birthdays and summers in Mary's pool with his boys and their cousins. Ray's greatest escapes were devouring pulp fiction novels like popcorn and cruises to various places in the world with Betty.
Ray had been a member of the Abbotsford Kinsmen Service Club, ten years with the Mission and Abbotsford RCMP Auxiliary police, leader with Beaver, Cubs and Scouts and boys softball coach. He later coached Special Olympics - softball, curling and floor hockey for ten years, meeting many wonderful volunteers in that organization. He also belonged to the curling club.
After retiring he and Betty spent many years in February and March in their RV in Desert Hot Springs, California. He also taught Sunday school at Central Heights Church and volunteered at the MCC Thrift Store, always in the back, taking great pleasure in fixing things that would otherwise be landfill. Helping people on fixed incomes and aiding the less fortunate in the world with the money raised by his repairs.
To the very end, one of his greatest loves was sailing. He liked nothing better then to maintain his boat and spend summers cruising with Betty and other boating friends among the many islands and bays on the Salish Sea. He was a member of the Valley Power and Sail Squadron, doing two years as Commander of the Squadron. It was one of the saddest days in his life when he had to sell that boat near the end.
Ray will be dearly missed by his loving wife Betty, their children Shaun and Keith, and Shaun's fiance, Lindsay Vanderlende, as well as his brother-in-law Jim Hamm, sisters-in-law Barb Hill and Marilyn Motut and his many friends. He was a generous man with his time and spirit. A rock for the whole family.
Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Ray's life is yet to be determined at this time but hopefully later this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mennonite Central Committee Relief or Special Olympics British Columbia.