Raymond E. "Ray" Croasdale

DR. RAY CROASDALE OF GULL LAKE

Dr. Raymond E. Croasdale, age 79, of Gull Lake (Richland, MI), died Sunday afternoon, May 5, 2013, at home with his family after a brief battle with cancer.
Ray, the son of Raymond A. and Myrtle E. Croasdale, was born on May 8, 1933 in Park Ridge, IL. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1951 and Albion College in 1954, and went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1958. He served his internship at Hartford General Hospital in Hartford, Conn., and did his ophthalmology residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Ray served in the United States Navy as a Lt. Commander aboard the USS Haven hospital ship from 1962 to 1964.
Ray practiced medicine in Kalamazoo for more than 30 years with an office at Bronson Hospital and then with Drs. Melluish & Haller. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Richland; the Gull Lake Area Rotary Club of Richland; the Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club and a former member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ray enjoyed sailing throughout his life, racing his Snipe in the summer and a DN ice boat in the winter. Among his sailing accomplishments, Ray won first place in the silver fleet of the IDNIYRA Central Lakes Championship in 2001 at the age of 67. During retirement, Ray was active in the Kalamazoo Area Daylily Society, and he registered four of his own hybrids including Gal from Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Promise.
On June 21, 1958 in Gulfport, MS, Ray married the former Judith Fortner. Judy survives Ray after nearly 55 years of Marriage. Also surviving are his two daughters, Martha J. Croasdale (David Anson) of Galesburg, Mich. and Myrle E. Croasdale of Milwaukee, Wis.; his son, Dr. Christopher R. (Laurie Lang) Croasdale of Madison, Wis.; by his three granddaughters, Molly Danielsson, Gillian Croasdale and Lucy Croasdale; and by his brother, Stephen (Dale Orr) Croasdale of Welches, Ore. Ray was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, George Croasdale.
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection and Thanksgiving for the Life of Ray will be held on Saturday, June 15th at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Richland, 8047 Church Street, with the Rev. Dr. Mark W. Jennings, Pastor, officiating with Rev. Theda McBryde, Hospice Chaplain and Rev.Ericka Parkinson Kilbourne assisting and the United States Navy Honor Guard bestowing Military Honors. Interment will follow at the Church's Memorial Gardens. Family and friends will continue to celebrate Ray's life with a time of fellowship and luncheon in the Gull Prairie Room of the Church immediately following the Committal Service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ray's honor may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church of Richland's Memorial Gardens, 8047 Church Street, Richland, MI,, 49083 or Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, MI 49007.