Joseph (Joe) Edwin Rayner, gently passed away February 22nd,2014. His wife, three children, Son in Law and priest were with him in the last moments of his life. The family expressed our love and gratitude to him for his enduring love and commitment to us all. We also wish to express our gratitude to the ICU nurses and doctors who work at the San Gorgonio Hospital, in Banning, California. They were highly professional, skillful practitioners who showed our father compassion and comfort as he Iay dying. He was 89 years old and is now in the loving presence of God. A memorial service of his life was celebrated on March 6th,2014 at Weaver Mortuary Chapel in Beaumont, which was followed by Full Military Honors and burial at Riverside National Cemetery. Joe was born June 23rd,1924 in Detroit, Michigan. He was a good son and only child of his parents Joe and Letty Rayner. He discovered his lifelong passion for golf, when he worked as a caddy, at Orchard Lake Country Club, W. Bloomfield, Michigan at the age of 13. He once caddied there for the unforgettable Babe Didrikson, the first woman to compete in a men's PGA tourney in 1938. He attended, Pontiac High School. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Joe enlisted in the US Marine Corp at age 17. He travelled by train to California, was stationed at Camp Pendleton Base, trained and later deployed for combat in the S. Pacific during WWII. He served in combat in the 1st and 4th divisions of the US Marine Corp. While in the Corp he was awarded two purple hearts, and served honorably reaching the enlisted rank of Technical Sergeant. He also had the privilege to box a few warm-up rounds with Gus Lesnevich, the 1941 World Light-Heavyweight Champion, and play trumpet a few times in the Corp band with Buddy Rich at the drums. Joe loved listening to the music of the Dorsey Brothers, Al Hirt, the Tijuana Brass and Doc Severinsen of the Johnny Carson Tonight Show. He played a pretty good 1st trumpet too. Of greatest significance, while on weekend leave from Camp Pendleton, Joe met a lovely young woman, Deloris Ann Rayner, from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, who had also moved to the west coast, to work and reside in San Diego, California. They met and fell deeply in love. During their courtship they shared a common Iove for music and dancing. They married just before Joe shipped out for combat in the Pacific. Their love was abiding and sustaining, during their near 70 years of marriage. After WWll, Joe received honorable discharge from the Corp and returned to Detroit, Michigan, to eventually attend Wayne University, and earn a Bachelor's degree on the Gl Bill. He then entered the US Air Force, as a Technical Sergeant, applied for and received acceptance to its Officers Candidate School. Upon receiving his Officer's Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, he saw duty in South Korea in the mid 50's. Upon his return stateside, he and his family of five, were stationed in California. Later on, in 1956, he was given a security assignment with a small team that opened what became Vandenberg Air Force Base. Joe then continued to serve with Strategic Air Command at several bases. Throughout his career, he worked to ensure the quality, capability and computerization of various Air Force operations, including payroll, everyone's favorite! After retiring from the Air Force in 1970, a Lt. Colonel, Joe pursued and received an MBA in June,1972 from the Sloan School of Business, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Soon after graduation, he became Director of Community Outreach for Meharry Medical School's Department of Family and Community Medicine, in Nashville. He was responsible for matching new physician practices with communities most in need of their service. He also served as the Liaison for the Tennessee Regional Medical Program affiliated with Vanderbilt University. He had an incisive mind, and in particular, the ability to bring his colleagues to consensus and collaboration. He backed people and provided them the means to succeed. Within the competition of ideas, he went toe-to-toe with the opposition if necessary, but preferred the use of humor whenever possible to make his point. He was responsible and loyal, earning commitment and appreciation from others in turn. Joe retired in 1976, to work part time as a minerals leasing agent, and later as a realtor. He decided to fully retire in 1980's to spend more time with the bride of his youth, Deloris. He most enjoyed visits with their grandchildren, finding a new generation to advise on the finer points of golf, life, crossword puzzles and humor. Life continued, and throughout, Joe demonstrated a sustaining love for his family and a enduring friendships with his service buddies. Joe is survived by his wife, Deloris, his daughter, Sandra Zubkoff of Hanover, New Hampshire; his daughter Vicki Blass and husband, Walter, of Emerald Bay California; his son Jeff Rayner and wife, Susan, of Ventura, California; his grandchildren, Steven, Joel, and Lisa; Stephen; Angela and Mathew; and great-grandchildren, Tatiana and Anastasia; Willow and Etta; Kai and Dane; and Shyne. The family, thanks all those who cared for Joe during the last two years, particularly Alfred and Rafael. Joe really liked you guys.
These are a few published or authentic wisdoms he shared with us these last years:
"Fear less; hope more. Eat less; chew more. Talk less; say more. Hate less; love more.
"God is always around us in the little and simple things we take for granted.
"'He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge." (psalm 91:4)
" Judge not."
"l Love You."
Arrangements under the direction of Weaver Mortuary, Beaumont, CA.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
March 16, 2014
Margaret Baumler
Dear Deloris & family,
You are in my thoughts & prayers. Offered Mass for Joe the other day. I was happy to see all the pictures on line. I think I could recognize a number of your family. I will call you Deloris.
Your Cousin, Margaret
March 5, 2014
Joan Alexander
My love and sympathy to you Sandy and your family.Your Father sounds like quite a guy. I now know where you got some of your wonderful qualities and wit.
Joan Mikasha-Alexander
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