Ray Hartley

OTTUMWA — Raymond Vinson “Lightning” Hartley, 79, of 2732 North Court Rd. died at 8:55 p.m. Oct. 3, 2009 at Hospice House in Ottumwa.

He was born March 12, 1930, in Ottumwa to Albert and Anna Sales Hartley Sr. He married Joan Wells on June 19, 1954.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and then worked at Lentner Cycle Co. before moving to California in 1956.

In California, he worked 17 years for Ronson Hydraulic Units where he was foreman of the tool room. In 1973 he returned to Ottumwa where he worked at John Deere Ottumwa Works, retiring in 1993.

He was an avid motorcycle rider, racing for Lentners Cycle Co. in the late ‘40s and ‘50s. He loved golfing, woodworking and motorcycles.

Surviving are his wife, Joan; his son, John (Tammie) Hartley of Ottumwa; his daughter, Lori Quinn of Coralville; two grandsons, P.J. Quinn of Newton and Nicholaus Quinn of Coralville; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Rowena Randall; six brothers, Earl, Joe, Don, Clifford, Albert Jr., and Lawrence Hartley.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa with Pastor Gary Brooks officiating.  Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Ottumwa with military services conducted by O.B. Nelson Post #3 American Legion and Walter B. Schafer Post #775 Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Active pallbearers will be P.J. and Nicholaus Quinn, Joel Roberts, Dennis Pavloski, Clancy Randall and Mark Hellige. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Farness, Dan Dennis, Orville Johnson, Jim Dellinger, Paul Hartley and Bill Root.

Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the family present from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Memorials may be made to Hogs for Dogs benefiting Heartland Humane Society and Hospice.