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Rest in Peace: Rob ‘Smokey’ Ray

DeltaRomeo

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
[ed. Updated with funeral information on 10/27/25. v/r,dr]

Funeral Information for Rob ‘Smokey’ Ray
…from Teena.

Rob's memorial will be held Thursday, November 13th at 9:30 at Victory Church Lakeland. Lunch will be provided by the church following the service. We will then travel to Florida National Cemetery for a 1:30-1:45 service.

Thank you,
Teena

Victory Church
1401 Griffin Road
Lakeland, Florida 33810
Phone 863-859-6000

Florida National Cemetery
6502 SW 102nd Ave.
Bushnell, Florida 33513
352-793-7740



I received the sad news that Rob, after battling prostate cancer for many years, passed on 10/10/2025. He was a good friend, and an even better person. One of the most positive and motivating individuals I’ve met.

This picture is of Rob in his RV-4 ‘Bandit’ on Danny King’s wing on the 100th anniversary of the Wright Bros. first flight. I took this pic from the back seat.

I was told by another friend that there would be a memorial in Lakeland, Florida. When I get that information I’ll add it here.

A very sad day here. I miss my friend.


Screenshot 2025-10-17 at 8.39.42 AM.png

In the 'X' off my wing.... 4 wings on a 6 fuse. 4+6=10 (X)
Screenshot 2025-10-17 at 8.58.30 AM.png


Screenshot 2025-10-17 at 9.02.12 AM.png

Goofballs
Screenshot 2025-10-17 at 1.08.53 PM.png
 
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I regret this news. I had several very pleasant interactions with Smokey while he was stationed with the Alabama Guard. I fondly recall the time he made a low pass over DCU in his fully armed F-16 after chasing a farmer back to his home strip during the 911 saga. Another visit to DCU saw him load a full set of my used cylinders in the back seat of his RV-4 for use in an engine he was building. Good memories.

My thoughts are with his family and many friends.
 
DeltaRomeo said:
I received the sad news that Rob, after battling prostate cancer for many years, passed on 10/10/2025. He was a good friend, and an even better person. One of the most positive and motivating individuals I’ve met.

This picture is of Rob in his RV-4 ‘Bandit’ on Danny King’s wing on the 100th anniversary of the Wright Bros. first flight. I took this pic from the back seat.

I was told by another friend that there would be a memorial in Lakeland, Florida. When I get that information I’ll add it here.

A very sad day here. I miss my friend.


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In the 'X' off my wing....
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As a tribute to men such as these and many others...they left behind a legacy for each of us who owns one of their aircraft to protect and keep in good stead for the future.
My 6 was the creation of a man I never got to meet...but it has found a home with a family on a private airstrip and with me as its trusty pilot. I take my wife, and my kids and anyone who wants to see what and RV is all about...and my 12 year old littlest guy is learning to love RV's the same way I did back in the early 80's growing up with some of the VanGrunsven clan and having my earliest flights with Dicks niece as my first instructor.

We can offer no finer form of respect, than to honor the planes these people built. Share them, maintain them and hopefully pass them down, upon our final acts in aviation a ways out.... They offer so much more in terms of education and patience and learning...but mostly for me...pure joy of knowing that I own and care for one of these hand made creations. Mine was built with tenacity, patience, and blood sweat and tears, before the days of the modern kits...but is every bit as capable a machine as anything out there today.

Bless them all...and may they rest assured knowing that a jury of your peers appreciates and respects the effort and love that went in to your endeavor and for us...hold that dear as a higher calling, as caretaker and friend...
 
I never met him either, but communicated off and on during my RV-4 build. Besides a top notch pilot, he seemed to really embrace the "KISS" factor and building more on the basic side, which I liked as well. I always wanted to visit the mysterious "Swamp" where he was based in Fla, but never really even found out where it was. RIP Smokey.
 
I remember a story Smokey told me once from back when he was building his RV-4 ‘Bandit’. He was deployed somewhere, and trying to build the emp w/ limited resources (if I remember correctly). He needed to get a question answered, so without thinking he looked in his book and called the one number he had. This was a loooonnnngggg time ago, by the way. Pre-internet stuff.

‘Hello?’ “Howdy, I have a question about the 4. Did I wake you?”

‘Well, it is 4am.’

He called Van at his house without doing the time difference math. I may have gotten a detail off a bit, but it was close to that. Van answered his questions.

He had sooooo many good stories. Gosh I’m gonna miss that guy. We should all be so lucky to have friend like this floating around our social circles.
 
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I bought a Sonerai IIL from Smokey Ray back in 2017. I put many flight hours on that little airplane. And I spent a lot of time on phone calls, texts and email with him. The plan was that he was going to take N994SP back from me when he was well enough. I’m very sad that he won’t have that chance.

Fair winds Smokey!

www.kitplanes.com

"Born Again" TX Sonerai - KITPLANES

After selling my second RV aircraft last year to facilitate a home remodel I was in a dilemma. Build another airplane? Buy one? If so, what could possibly compare to the utility, fun and overall bang for the buck of my RV-4 and RV-6 “X?” The exception being the F-16, but I digress. I needed a...
www.kitplanes.com www.kitplanes.com
 
I only spoke with Rob one time on the phone years ago when I was selling my RV7. After several minutes speaking with him, it was like talking with a friend from many years ago that had gone by. I remember Rob had written a great article on flutter, I think it was in the RVAtor but I can't seem to find it now. He always had encouraging words and great stories.
RIP 🙏
 
DeltaRomeo said:
I received the sad news that Rob, after battling prostate cancer for many years, passed on 10/10/2025. He was a good friend, and an even better person. One of the most positive and motivating individuals I’ve met.

This picture is of Rob in his RV-4 ‘Bandit’ on Danny King’s wing on the 100th anniversary of the Wright Bros. first flight. I took this pic from the back seat.

I was told by another friend that there would be a memorial in Lakeland, Florida. When I get that information I’ll add it here.

A very sad day here. I miss my friend.


View attachment 99691

In the 'X' off my wing.... 4 wings on a 6 fuse. 4+6=10 (X)
View attachment 99692


View attachment 99693

Debriefing after a flyover back in the day.
View attachment 99734
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DR,
I only knew him from afar.
My condolences to you and those who loved him.
Daddyman58
 
A friend sent me the following link this morning - at the site Rob was described as a 'ball of energy'. That is accurate:



On that site is a copy/paste of some history written by the man himself.

My aviation career began early with a ride alongside Hollywood stunt pilot and aviation legend Frank Price at 4 years old. Taught to fly by my Dad in a 1946 Taylorcraft at 13, solo at 16 followed by Private and Commercial licenses and A&P mechanics license.​
​
First flying job as a banner tow pilot for Walker Aviation at 21 years old. Veteran employer and others encouraged me to pursue military USAF, UPT at Reese AFB TX class 84-08 as a strong beginning.​
​
The following 40 amazing years are a bur in retrospect, but here are the highlights:​
​
• 1985 - 1988 Post UPT assignment OV10A Bronco George AFB CA. Qualified as both an Air and Ground Forward Air Control Specialist aligned and deployed with the US Army Special Operations Units worldwide.​
​
• 1988 - 1992 Follow on assignment: F16C Misawa AB Japan. PACAF F16C Instructor/Evaluator Mission Commander numerous deployments FAC RIM. Awarded Pacaf Aircrew of Distinction for Engine Failure/Fire IFE in Philippines 1989.​
​
• 1992 - 1998 Follow on SDANG F16C Instructor Pilot/ANG Pentagon Liaison, Acquisitions and Eval. Initial F16C Cadre at SDANG conversion from A7 aircraft. Numerous worldwide deployments including ONW OPC USAFE. Combat Patrols of N and S Iraq. While at Pentagon purchased new equipment and organized future F16 training and operations for ANG. ​
​
• 1998 - 2020 ALANG F-16C+ Instructor Pilot Traditional Guardsmand and Southwest Airlines. Joined Bama Guard to fly the F16C plus and hired at Southwest Airlines shortly thereafter.​
Numerous deployments to ONW (Turkey/Iraq) Patagonia, Norway, Hawaii and CONUS. Post 9121, HOmeland Defense to include alert, POTUS escort missions. Unit activation by JSOC in 2002 and began a 4 year adventure of back to back deployments to Middle East in support of OIF and OEF.​
This to include "Base X", Al Udeid AB Qatar, Balad AB Iraq.​
Return in 2005 to requal at SWA and continue as traditional guardsman, deployments to EFT/OIF.​
​
Retirement from ANG and F16 fini flight on 50th Birthday 10/01/2007. Subsequent early retirement VSP from SWA (C diagnosis) 10/2020. Retired in Naples, FL with wife Teena and Lewellyn Setter, Lucy. - written by Rob Ray​


v/r,dr
 
I communicated via email on several occasions…..his impressive military and civilian accomplishments are very laudable …..but what impressed me the most in our communications was his unapologetic faith and unwavering commitment to Christ that centered around most of our conversations. He will be missed at least to us on this side of eternity 😢
 
Blue Skies Smokey. Always a friendly, witty guy.

I recently found out we had a common connection to Auburn, Alabama. It was the Lane family hometown.
 
DeltaRomeo said:
I remember that photoshoot. He REALLY liked that plane.
dougreeves.smugmug.com

RobRay - Doug Reeves

This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.
dougreeves.smugmug.com dougreeves.smugmug.com

v/r,dr
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Were you the photo ship for that shoot? I think I met you and a couple of other guys at a lunch spot in Denton when I came down to get 4SP. Frankly, I was so wound up about buying the plane I don't know who all was there.
 
N804RV said:
Were you the photo ship for that shoot? I think I met you and a couple of other guys at a lunch spot in Denton when I came down to get 4SP. Frankly, I was so wound up about buying the plane I don't know who all was there.
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Well, I don’t remember the lunch, but I do remember that photo shoot. I was flying my airplane and just holding my camera over my shoulder roughly pointing in his direction.😎

I remember picking the airplane up by the tail wheel and being stunned at how light weight it was

He sure liked that airplane
 
DeltaRomeo said:
Well, I don’t remember the lunch, but I do remember that photo shoot. I was flying my airplane and just holding my camera over my shoulder roughly pointing in his direction.😎

I remember picking the airplane up by the tail wheel and being stunned at how light weight it was

He sure liked that airplane
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It's a great little airplane. I've had a lot of fun with it.
 

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Ironically, when I saw this post I was at the Smoke On formation clinic. When I had just gotten my 6A flying and was still very wet under the wings in terms of flying, Smokey visited our airport in his 4. I asked if when he departed I could just follow along for fun. He asked if I'd ever flown formation. I said no. So he gave a brief and told me just to fly straight and level and he would join up on me. I was trying VERY hard to fly well when he called over the radio and said he was in position. I looked over and about crapped my pants. I had NEVER seen a plane so close, but it was also the coolest thing ever as he was just locked in that spot. That set the formation hook and I went to the next Team RV clinic in 2010. I now have over 600 hours of formation FFI and FAST cards, our own local group, and it is the majority of my flying. Huge fun and has made me a much better pilot.

Thanks Smokey!
 
DeltaRomeo said:
You know when you think you’re like one of a guy’s 20 closest friends, then you find out he had 1,000 people in his sphere who felt the same way?

That Smokey had a LOT of friends.
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You don't suppose is up there having a conversation with Paul Poberezny now do you?😁
 
I met Smokey once when I had to overnight layover at waycross ga on a return flight from Oshkosh. The next morning, I find they were having a formation clinic. He was very welcoming with an invite into the clinic.
 
Funeral Information for Rob ‘Smokey’ Ray
…from Teena.

Rob's memorial will be held Thursday, November 13th at 9:30 at Victory Church Lakeland. Lunch will be provided by the church following the service. We will then travel to Florida National Cemetery for a 1:30-1:45 service.​
​
Thank you,​
Teena​
​
Victory Church​
1401 Griffin Road​
Lakeland, Florida 33810​
Phone 863-859-6000​
​
Florida National Cemetery​
6502 SW 102nd Ave.​
Bushnell, Florida 33513​
352-793-7740​
 
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Man, I just found out. This is a real gut punch. I know Smokey fought the fight hard.

Throw a nickel on the grass. Keep your knots up, Smokey, you're missed.
 
Smokey and I flew OV-10’s and F-16’s together. He was a fireball, forward looking in all he did. He was a fighter pilots pilot. Smokey never was shy about any engagements, in the air or on the ground. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”
In combat, I want a whole squadron full of Smokies! Smokey, you left me with so many stories, songs, memories and great times! You’re missed, touch the face of God..
Col Randall S King (R)
 
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