Ray Friend passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family at his home in Escalon on March 24, 2019 at the age of 82. Ray was born one of six children to Ray and Madge Friend on January 25, 1937 in Visalia, CA. After high school, Ray enlisted in the US Army in which he served 21 years in Air Defense, also serving in the Korean War. After retiring from the military, Ray worked for GSA and later in HVAC before finally retiring in Escalon.