Ray Tool

Ray Howard Tool, son of the late Harrison Edmond Tool and Jessie Gertrude (Allen) Tool, was born on October 5, 1930, in Cass Lake, Minnesota, and went home to the Lord on November 30, 2020, following health issues and a hospital stay. He was living in Blue Springs, Missouri at the time of his passing. He was 90 years, 1 month, and 25 days of age.

Ray spent his early years near Bemidji, Minnesota and moved to Mountain Grove, Missouri, with his parents and siblings at the age of 16. He was united in marriage to Frances Madalene McNairn on June 13, 1951, in Mountain Home, Arkansas. They resided in Phenix City, Alabama, and Columbus, Georgia, while he was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia serving his country in the United States Army. He served during the Korean War from January 1951 to January 1954. He proudly served in the 508 Infantry Airborne as a paratrooper and a radio instructor. He was honorably discharged with a corporal status.

While in the service, their first child, Allen, was born. Upon Ray’s discharge from the Army he moved with his family to Mountain Grove, where their second child, Angelia, was born. They resided in the Mountain Grove area for 59 years. In 1962, Ray and Frances bought and moved to a farm located south of Mountain Grove. Here they raised cattle and a huge garden each year. Ray was very proud of his farm and worked very hard on it while also working at Dairy Farmers of America for 31 years. They remained on the farm until Frances’ health required them to move closer to family and medical care in Blue Springs, Missouri.

Ray was a member of the Church of Christ, having been baptized into Christ in Phenix City during his time in military service. His devotion to the service of Christ and study of the Bible was continuous from then to the time of his passing. He was always diligent to heed the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Besides his parents, Ray was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years, Frances Tool, one grandson, Ryan Thornhill, and one brother, Norman Tool.

He is survived by one son, Allen Tool and wife, Sherry, of Blue Springs, Missouri, one daughter, Angelia Ruth Brummet and husband, Jerry, of Springfield, Missouri, two sisters, Mildred Tool of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and Maxine Lakey of Eldon, Missouri, three grandchildren, Jeremy Scott Thornhill and wife, Mirela, of Republic, Missouri, Katie Wasson and husband, David, of Peoria, Arizona, and Nathan Tool of Oakmont, Pennsylvania, four great-grandchildren, Macie, Kile, and Nickolas Thornhill, and Finn Wasson, and a host of other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly.