Raymond "Ray" Chatham

Raymond P. “Ray” Chatham, Jr., 69, of Idaho Falls passed away March 14, 2018, in Salt Lake City, Utah, following a brief illness.

Ray was born June 28, 1948, in Longview, Texas, to Raymond P. Chatham Sr., and Eloise Thornton Chatham. He spent his early childhood years in the beauty of his beloved mountains in Southeast Oklahoma. Ray served eight years in the U.S. Departments of the Army and Air Force and graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater with a degree in Agriculture and Business Management.

In 1976 Ray became part of the management team for disaster recovery operations following the Teton Dam Disaster where his knowledge in agriculture and financial management were instrumental in restoring Idaho communities from flood and economic disaster impacts. Ray spent the next 35 years managing Federal Natural Disaster Recovery Operations around the United States.

Ray was an avid sportsman with an intense love and respect for the outdoors. He loved to build quality outdoor, backwoods cabins and spent a number of summers in the backcountry of Alaska exploring, hunting, fishing and spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Cheryl Gay Jacobson Chatham of Swan Valley; his sister Cheryl Chatham (Don) Powell of Wewoka, Oklahoma; parents Raymond P. Chatham, Sr. and Eloise Thornton Chatham of Oklahoma; a large extended family and a host of friends across the nation whom he dearly loved. Ray enjoyed meeting people and loved doing things for others.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 23, 2018, at Idaho Falls LDS Brentwood Ward, 2040 Brentwood Drive, with Bishop Grant Stone officiating. The family will visit with friends from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Sutton Cemetery in Archer.

Military Rites will be performed by the Bonneville County Veterans Memorial Team and Idaho Honor Guard.

Funeral Services will be held