Richard Ray Cobb December 11, 1946 – February 2, 2019 Richard Ray Cobb had been a resident of Deer Park, Texas for 40 years. He was born December 11, 1946 (actually December 10 but there was an error on the birth certificate which was never corrected) in Luling, Texas. He passed away January 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas at the age of 72.
Ray is survived by his wife of 49 years, 8 months and 7 days, Susan F. Holcomb Cobb. He is also survived by his brother Andy Cobb of Kalua-Kona, Hawaii, his sister Irna Brent and her husband David of Luling, Texas, his brother Rodney Cobb and his wife Glenda of San Marcos. He is also survived by 5 nephews, Allan Cobb (citizen of the world), Steve Cobb, Scott Cobb, Ryan Brent of Austin, Jeremy Cobb of San Marcos, 1 niece, Diane Valentine of Kalua-Kona, Hawaii, and a number of cousins.
Mr. Cobb was predeceased by his beloved daughter, Monica Christine Cobb (10/14/17), his mother, Lorene Cobb, his father, Odus Cobb, his brother Alton Lee “Woody” Cobb, his niece, Deniece Brent, and two sisters-in-law, Margaret Cobb and Gwen Cobb. In addition to his biological family, he is survived by his loving local family, best friend Bill McComas, his wife Molly and her son Lance Kirby; long time friends Greg and Ginger Baecker and their daughters, Amber Baecker and wife Melissa Manning, and Barbi Baecker Smith and her husband Josh Smith. Ray graduated from Prairie Lea high school in Prairie Lea, Texas in 1965.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 14, 1965. Ray served as a gunner’s mate on several destroyers. Along the way he served as a rescue swimmer for downed pilots and was then posted to Vietnam.
In Vietnam he served as a gunner on Swift Boats and was held up in country for the Tet Offensive of 1968. Ray was released from the Navy on August 26, 1968 having earned the Vietnam service medal with one bronze star, the Republic of Vietnam campaign medal with device. He received other commendations in the field but in the chaos of war they were not reported up the chain.
Ray was proud to have served as a west coast sailor and to have sailed all except 3 seas in the world; however, he did not talk about his service much until recently because he felt he did his job for his country but neither owed more nor was owed anything more. Ray and Susan married on May 23, 1969 in Luling, Texas where Ray was employed as a fabricator. He went to work for Arco Pipeline Co. in Galena Park and Houston, Texas in October of 1969 where he remained where he remained for 24 years and 11 months.
His unit was sold to CITGO Pipeline where he worked for close to 12 years until Explorer Pipeline purchased the unit. He worked for Explorer until his retirement. Ray was a member of the OCAW (now Steelworkers) while with ARCO and was a union representative for a number of years.
He was very generous and supported many charities. He was a member of the Deer Park United Methodist Church and has just recently joined the Optimist Club of Downtown Houston. Ray could safely be called a sports fanatic and faithfully followed the Houston Astros, the Houston Texans, University of Houston football and basketball.
These teams replaced his original loves for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and University of Texas sports. He had recently started attending U of H basketball games. Ray was an avid reader, loved music and had attended many concerts ranging from Neil Diamond (numerous times), Andrea Bocelli, George Strait, The Eagles starting with the Hotel California tour in 1977 until the concert at Minute Maid in 2018, Elvis Presley and other acts at the rodeo, The Phantom of the Opera several times (which he loved), CATS (which he hated) and many more too numerous to list but ending with a concert by Three Days Grace and Disturbed on January 28, 2019.
Tickets for Sarah Brightman will be used in his honor. Memorial service will be held on February 9, 2019, Saturday 2:00 P.M. at The Deer Park United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Thirteenth St., Deer Park, Texas. Interment of cremated remains will be at a later date (TBD) in the Luling City Cemetery, Luling, Texas.
In Lieu of flowers donation may be made to DPUMC, The Harbor for Children ( formerly Boys and Girls Harbor, or any animal rescue group.
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