Ray Lyra, 88, passed away peacefully of natural causes on June 25, at Lompoc Valley Medical Center. He was born June 27, 1923, to Joe and Mary Lira. Ray was a hard worker and a kind hearted person who knew what it was to be poor and he gave generously to his family, friends and even strangers throughout his life. He grew up in Basin, Wyoming attending local schools. He joined the US Army in 1948, and was stationed in Yokohama, Japan. He played the trumpet in the Army band. When he re-enlisted in the military he decided on the US Air Force and was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, Luke AFB, Arizona, Amarillo, Texas, Chanute AFB, Illinois, Minot, North Dakota and Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California. In 1951, he learned from a friend that his entire former Army Squad was killed in the Korean War.

In 1952 he married (Mary) Lucy Garcia in Glendale, Arizona. That same year he received his sergeant stripes.
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Ray learned the mechanics of the F-105 airplane in Long Island, New York and was asked to work on the Thunderbirds but declined since it would have entailed moving his family too many times. He learned to work in missiles in Chanute, Illinois in 1963, and was sent to Minot for that purpose until 1967, when he was transferred to Vandenberg. He retired as a TSGT in 1971, and became the proprietor of the Shell gas station on V Street and Ocean in Lompoc until 1980. In 1983, he became the proprietor of J & J Automotive in Santa Maria until 2004. When he became ill in 2009, he moved to the home of his son Jon and his daughter-in-law Judith in Lompoc.

He is survived by his Wife (Mary) Lucy of 59 years, his sons Ray, Jr., Jon Robert (Judith), and Thomas Richard and his daughter Susan Ann. His daughter Lee Ann died shortly after her premature birth in 1955. He is also survived by his grandchild Jon David and his great grandchildren Serenity Yvette, Kimberly Marie and Jack Lyra of San Antonio, Texas, his brothers Lew (Evangelina) and John (Lupe) Lira, and sisters Carol Quinonez and Lucy Howard and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Marcella Moreno.

Visitation will be at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary just prior to a 1 pm graveside service with an Air Force honor guard tribute at Lompoc Cemetery on Monday, July 2, 2012.