Raymond Etheredge

Please join us as we gather to honor, remember, and celebrate a beautiful life.
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Crosby Chapel
Address: 16404 Northwest Church Rd, Seabeck, WA 98380

Following the service, please join the family in the foyer for cookies and light refreshments.

If you would like to share a memory during the service or send something to be included, please reach out to Kim Burchett for specifics.

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In Loving Memory of Raymond Lee Etheredge

February 23, 1941 – June 5, 2026

Raymond Lee Etheredge, 85, of Seabeck, Washington, passed away on June 5, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith, hard work, and a lifelong passion for gardening.

Born on February 23, 1941, in Miami, Florida, Ray was the son of Lee Etheredge and Georgina (Littlechild) Briois. After earning his GED, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, proudly serving with the Third Marine Division from 1958 to 1962.

In April 1962, Ray met the love of his life, Sharron Lee Slayton. They married in October of that same year and shared nearly 59 years of marriage before Sharron’s passing. Together, they built a life filled with family, faith, and lasting friendships. Their journey took them to several California communities, Hollywood, Florida, and ultimately Seabeck, Washington, as they raised their three children: Timothy, Thomas, and Kimberly. Ray’s family was always at the center of his life. He took great pride in providing for his loved ones, encouraging them, and spending time together.

Following his military service, Ray began a nearly 40-year career in telecommunications. Building on the technical training he received as a Marine Corps lineman, he worked for Western Electric, AT&T, and later Lucent Technologies as a telecommunications installer. He was respected for his strong work ethic, efficiency, dependability, and dedication to his profession.

During the early years of their marriage, Ray and Sharron placed their faith in Jesus Christ, establishing a foundation that would guide their lives and the raising of their family. Ray was a member of Crosby Chapel in Seabeck, where he valued the fellowship, friendships, and community of his church family.

One of Ray’s passions was gardening. A lifelong gardener and horticultural enthusiast, he devoted nearly 30 years to serving as a Master Gardener in Broward County, Florida, and Kitsap County, Washington. His enthusiasm for plants and his desire to share his knowledge led him to become involved with numerous organizations, including the Kitsap County Rose Society, Central Valley Garden Club, Puget Sound Gesneriad Society, Peninsula Fruit Club, and Evergreen Chrysanthemum Association.

Ray found genuine joy in cultivating, pruning, and nurturing plants, but his passion extended far beyond the garden. He loved sharing what he knew, helping others learn, and forming friendships with fellow gardening enthusiasts. He and Sharron built many treasured relationships within the gardening community over the years.

Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sharron; his parents, Lee and Georgina; his brother, Jimmy; and his daughter-in-law, Lori Davis Etheredge.

He is survived by his son, Timothy Etheredge of Albany, Georgia, and his daughter, Kimberly (Etheredge) Burchett, and her husband, James Burchett, of Seabeck, Washington. He is also survived by his sister, Patricia Littlechild of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Ray’s son, Thomas Etheredge of Noblesville, Indiana, and Tom’s wife, Carroll (Burchett) Etheredge, survive him as well. Less than a month after Ray’s passing, Tom also passed away and has been reunited in heaven with his parents and extended family.

Ray’s legacy continues through his grandchildren: Cynthia (Etheredge) Schweibold and her husband, Steven; Rebecca (Etheredge) Clancy and her husband, Kyle; Jonathan Etheredge; Adam Burchett and his wife, Amanda (Cady); Brian Burchett and his wife, Shelby (Muhleman); and Allison Burchett. He was also blessed with seven great-grandchildren: Luke, Ezra, and Owen Schweibold; Brielle and Emmett Clancy; and Noah and Lily Burchett.

Ray will be remembered for his unwavering love of family, his faithful service to his country, his commitment to his community, and his deep love of gardening. He will also be remembered for his warm sense of humor and the little things that made him unmistakably Ray. Friends and family knew they could count on a firm handshake when arriving for a visit or saying goodbye. And whenever someone told him to “have a good day,” he would grin and respond, “Don’t tell me what to do.” It was a familiar, playful exchange that brought smiles and laughter and will live on in the memories of those who knew and loved him.

Ray’s life was one of devotion—to his family, his faith, his work, and the things he loved. Like the gardens he so lovingly tended, the seeds he planted in the lives of others will continue to grow through the memories, lessons, friendships, and love he leaves behind.

He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered.