Raymond Lee Baron

We lost a true original, a unique and irreplaceable person when Raymond Lee Baron passed away last week at his home in Grapevine due to complications from cardiovascular disease.

Ray was born in El Paso, Texas, seventy-four years ago, the second son of Estelle and Joe Baron. From his earliest years, Ray’s bond with nature was evident in his love and uncanny rapport with animals, starting with his childhood menagerie of dogs, rabbits, birds of all kinds, and, of course, his capuchin monkey whom Ray named Ivan Ivonovich. When Ray passed away suddenly, his beloved dog Annie was at his side, the final testament of his bond with animals, as if it were meant to be.

In the business world, Ray was a stellar professional, a highly admired copywriter, respected by his clients and associates, including those at Baron Communications, the advertising agency he founded with the love of his life, his wife Ruthie in 1985. In Ruthie, Ray found his soulmate, his life partner, his closest friend.

For over thirty-three years Ray and Ruthie’s house was the scene of countless Baron family gatherings, the place where lifelong memories were made, and where Ray and Ruthie’s deep love for each other only grew. As a Jewish Christian, holidays included celebrating Christmas and Hannukah alike, instilling a knowledge and respect for the Old and New Testaments.

In Ray’s later years, he became a head marketing writer for SAP Global. But always the adventurer in the natural world, Ray would also prospect for gold in the mountains of Colorado, California and Oregon, bringing home not just the precious metal but equally precious stories of his exploits and the characters he met. Those of us who knew Ray best, understood that he was always prospecting, looking for new adventures, and doing it Ray’s way.

Besides his loving wife Ruthie, Ray leaves behind his children Noa, Amie, Briar and Ean and their wonderful mother Dianne, step-daughters Emily and Katherine, three grandchildren Nazarra, Ean and Desmond, his brothers Jason and Kenny, his sister-in-law Lisa, nephews Andy and Beau, nieces Blair, Kimberly and Erin, great-niece Chloe and three great-nephews Bowen, Baylor and Colt.

We love you, Ray, and thank you for making our world a far more interesting place with your presence, and now your memory.

The family requests any donations in honor of Ray be made to the Union Gospel Mission of Fort Worth at: https://ugm-tc.networkforgood.com/?utm_medium=ordercomplete&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=Sunday-2020-11-01