Ray Dabney

Reynolds Allen "Ray" Dabney, 67, of Uvalde, passed away in Alpine, Texas on September 15, 2015. He was born September 23, 1947 in Munich, Germany to Walter Davis Dabney, Jr. and Charlotte Ramsey. He was the second of nine children, and was also very close to his numerous cousins.
He spent his childhood and then high school years in San Antonio and Uvalde, graduating from Highland Park High School in Dallas in 1966.
He attended Texas A&M University in College Station, and was a member of the Corps of Cadets company D-1 "Spider D", graduating with the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation. Upon graduation, Ray was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army, spending 13 months in 1972 and 1973 flying helicopters with the 1st of the 9th Air Cavalry F Troop in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star and fourteen Air Medals.
After being honorably discharged as a Captain, he spent a short time in Georgia and then returned to Texas and attended graduate school while working at the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority in Edna, Texas.
In 1977 he married his sweetheart, Laura Dishman, in Uvalde. During their time in Edna, they had two children. In 1981, the family returned to Uvalde where Ray started working for his father-in-law at Kinney County Wool & Mohair. In 1991, he began working for Del Monte Foods. He thoroughly enjoyed becoming an expert on the crops of the Winter Garden area, and especially working with and becoming friends with, his coworkers and numerous farmers in the area.
Ray and Laura both retired in 2011. They spent the last four years traveling to various places in Europe, as well as around the United States, kayaking, and spending as much time as possible with their children and grandchildren. They also began catering for local dove hunters and enjoyed the people they met, and especially the time spent together doing something they loved and did so well. Ray was known near and far for his famous brisket, and other mouthwatering culinary creations, especially anything he threw on the grill. His family would say his love language was cooking for others.
Ray was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church, USA and spent a great deal of his time faithfully serving his local church in several capacities. Ray had a beautiful singing voice and was part of the Guitars and Friends group at church, singing for the congregation and various other groups in the community.
Ray is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Laura; daughter, Charla Jenkins and husband, Richard of Uvalde; son, Major Will Dabney, USAF, and wife, Amy of Ramstein Air Base Germany; one grandson, Truett Jenkins of Uvalde; three granddaughters, Reese Jenkins of Uvalde, Charley Cate Dabney of Germany and Avery Grace Jenkins of Uvalde; five sisters, Margaret Hunter and husband, Jim of Canton, Georgia, Frances Brown and husband, Bob of Denver, Colorado, Charlotte Gazzaniga and husband, Mike of Carpinteria, California, Lenoir Melton and husband, George of Ft. Collins, Colorado, and Deezy Rice and husband, Rusty of Dallas; three brothers, Walt Dabney and wife, Carey of Moab, Utah, John A. Smylie and wife, Betty of Dallas, and Chris Smylie and wife, Marin of Brooklyn, New York; three "brothers", Walter Ray Richardson, and wife, Martha of Austin, Shinji Konno and wife, Urara of Tampa, Florida, and Tom Putamanonda and wife, Jerry of Bangkok, Thailand; numerous nieces and nephews, including Alexis Dabney, Robyn Gold and husband, Nate, Andy Hunter and wife, Joan, Laura Hunter, Lindsay Hunter, Matthew Brown and wife, Anne Marie, Ramsey Brown, Francesca Gazzaniga and husband, Richard Novak, Zack Gazzaniga, Jimmy Cleaver, Neal Cleaver, John Cleaver, Katelyn Smylie, Bill Smylie, Jake Smylie, Dabney Rice, Russell Rice, Sarah Hendler and husband BJ, Brian Dishman and wife Lorraine, Reagan Dishman, and Kennan Dishman; and numerous cousins who were like brothers and sisters to him.
He was preceded in death by his father, Walter Davis Dabney, Jr., his loving stepfather, John W. Smylie, and his beloved mother, Charlotte Ramsey Dabney Smylie.
A service for the celebration of Ray's life was held at First Presbyterian Church Uvalde, September 23, 2015, his 68th birthday. A private internment ceremony was held the morning of September 24th with family at Hillcrest Cemetery in Uvalde.
Honorary pallbearers were the men of First Presbyterian Church Uvalde, pilots in the 1st of the 9th Air Cavalry Vietnam '72-'73, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets classmates of Company D-1 "Spider D", West Texas mule deer hunters, and the men of the Uvalde agricultural community.
Memorial gifts in honor of Ray may be made to First Presbyterian Church Uvalde or the American Red Cross.

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