Rayford ‘Ray’ Alfred Kocian
Rayford “Ray” Alfred Kocian passed away peacefully on Feb. 1, 2023, at his home in Caldwell, Texas.
Ray was born on April 18, 1944, to Mike and Ella Kocian at the family home at the family home Yoakum.
Ray attended and graduated from Yoakum High School, where he played football and ran track.
After graduating high school, Ray went to work at Straus and Franks in Houston, where he worked constructing high rise buildings.
In June 1965, Ray joined the Air Force and was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, and later was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls,. While stationed there, Ray married the love of his life, Mary Whitley, on Nov. 30, 1965.
In 1967, Ray was transferred to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, where he completed his military career.
In 1981, in Cypress, he started Ray’s Torch and Regulator repair out of his garage, and his business grew to the point that by 1990, he and Mary owned and operated Cypress 290 Welding Supply. Ray’s determination and confidence in himself and his abilities made him a great success. He never let anyone or anything stop him from achieving his goals and accomplishing his dreams.
On March 31, 2015, Ray retired to spend time with his family, his pasture, and his cows. In his final years, Ray could frequently be found riding his tractor or driving his truck to each end of the pasture admiring his land and cattle. Ray was a man who enjoyed life and he loved his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. He rarely had a conversation where he didn’t include how proud he was of his family and their accomplishments.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Godfrey “Mike” and Ella Kocian and by his brother, Joseph John Kocian of Yoakum; his brothers-in-law, Jerry Gandy of Dallas and Kenneth Renger of Hallettsville.
Ray is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter, Jennifer Kocian of Willis; son, Timothy Kocian of Caldwell, and his three grandchildren, Halle, Brody, and Kennedy Kocian, as well as his many siblings: brother, Victor (Dena) Kocian of Stafford; sisters, Dolores Renger of Halletsville, Virginia Gandy of Athens, Ella (Johnny) Loos of Shiner, and Beatrice (Mike) Flanagan of Pearland. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and many personal friends he considered family, including Carla Cobb of Willis.
Visitation began at 4 p.m. and continued until 7 p.m. at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell.
Funeral service was held at 10 a.m., Monday, Feb. 6 at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell.
Pallbearers included Kenny Renger, Michael Renger, Brian Kocian, Michael Flanagan, Christopher Gandy, and John Neal.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rosehill Social Club or to Cook’s Point Methodist Church.