A retiree in Glenwood, NM for almost 40 years, former teacher and coach, Ray Lee Kiel, passed away at 2 pm, 12/14/2021, from complications of a quadruple bypass.
His parents were William Ray Kiel (04/10/1976 - 66 years old), born in Richland MO & Cornelia Viola Montgomery (passed 11/16/2001 - 88 years old), born in St Louis MO. They were married for 49 years. Together they have seven children. They were Ray Lee (deceased at 90 yo), Donald Francis 87yo, living in MO; Everett (Bud) Woodrow (died at 74), Sonia Marie (Lamm) Dodds (died at 78yo), Diana Rose Weston 79yo, living in MO; Carol Jean (Miller) Kiel 77yo, living in MO; Susan Verna (Millikan) Schnatzmeyer (died at 65).
Ray Lee Kiel is survived by his wife of 70 years, Silver City native Lequita Alma (Greenwood) Kiel, 85 yo, residing in retirement in Glenwood, NM; his eldest son, Kyle Everett Kiel, 67 yo, also residing in retirement in Glenwood, caretaking his mother, Lequita; his grandson, Gavin Ray Kiel, PhD, 36 y/o, works in research at MIT in Cambridge MA; his granddaughters, Jessica Varvil, 40 y/o, of MO; Michelle Kiel, 38 y/o, of MO; Risa Leanne Kiel, 35 y/o, of Menifee, CA; 4 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Billye Andrews, 90, from Superior, AZ; and Ray Lee Kiel was uncle to 20 nieces and nephews. Ray was predeceased by his only other son, Michael Ray Kiel, who passed at age 29, near O'Fallon, MO.
Ray was born in 1931, grew up in St Louis, MO, joining the Air Force at 17, serving 4 years as a recruiter. He was a permanent party in Corpus Christi, TX, El Paso, TX, and Silver City, NM, where his tour of duty ended and he married his "child bride". Lequita Kiel, a Silver City native.
Upon discharge, he enrolled at Western New Mexico College, choosing to remain in Silver City earning a degree in industrial arts in 1958, then doing his student teaching at Cobre High School in Bayard, NM. He was included in the Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, and his Master’s in Education from WNMC in 1960.
While in Silver City, he worked several jobs, between 1952 and 1960, including being a driver for the town laundry, an entry kiosk at the drive-in, and as an assayer at Hurley and Tyrone mines.
He began teaching industrial arts and coaching, taking his first job at Peoria High School, AZ in 1960. In 1972, he moved out of the Valley, up to Prescott, to take over as Chairman, and teaching in, the Industrial Ed Department at Yavapai Junior College.
While at Peoria, Ray built an Automotive curriculum, to include a full-on auto shop. He also taught drafting, in the auto classroom. Neither of those programs existed when he arrived. While there, in the early years, he also taught art and typing. Through his tenure at PHS, he coached all the boys' sports and was head varsity track, field, and CrossCountry coach. He filled his summers with classes at Northern Arizona University.
A memorial will be held for Ray Lee Kiel on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at the Community Center in Glenwood, New Mexico, starting at 2:00 pm.
Cremation has taken place at Terrazas Crematory.
Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory.
His parents were William Ray Kiel (04/10/1976 - 66 years old), born in Richland MO & Cornelia Viola Montgomery (passed 11/16/2001 - 88 years old), born in St Louis MO. They were married for 49 years. Together they have seven children. They were Ray Lee (deceased at 90 yo), Donald Francis 87yo, living in MO; Everett (Bud) Woodrow (died at 74), Sonia Marie (Lamm) Dodds (died at 78yo), Diana Rose Weston 79yo, living in MO; Carol Jean (Miller) Kiel 77yo, living in MO; Susan Verna (Millikan) Schnatzmeyer (died at 65).
Ray Lee Kiel is survived by his wife of 70 years, Silver City native Lequita Alma (Greenwood) Kiel, 85 yo, residing in retirement in Glenwood, NM; his eldest son, Kyle Everett Kiel, 67 yo, also residing in retirement in Glenwood, caretaking his mother, Lequita; his grandson, Gavin Ray Kiel, PhD, 36 y/o, works in research at MIT in Cambridge MA; his granddaughters, Jessica Varvil, 40 y/o, of MO; Michelle Kiel, 38 y/o, of MO; Risa Leanne Kiel, 35 y/o, of Menifee, CA; 4 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Billye Andrews, 90, from Superior, AZ; and Ray Lee Kiel was uncle to 20 nieces and nephews. Ray was predeceased by his only other son, Michael Ray Kiel, who passed at age 29, near O'Fallon, MO.
Ray was born in 1931, grew up in St Louis, MO, joining the Air Force at 17, serving 4 years as a recruiter. He was a permanent party in Corpus Christi, TX, El Paso, TX, and Silver City, NM, where his tour of duty ended and he married his "child bride". Lequita Kiel, a Silver City native.
Upon discharge, he enrolled at Western New Mexico College, choosing to remain in Silver City earning a degree in industrial arts in 1958, then doing his student teaching at Cobre High School in Bayard, NM. He was included in the Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, and his Master’s in Education from WNMC in 1960.
While in Silver City, he worked several jobs, between 1952 and 1960, including being a driver for the town laundry, an entry kiosk at the drive-in, and as an assayer at Hurley and Tyrone mines.
He began teaching industrial arts and coaching, taking his first job at Peoria High School, AZ in 1960. In 1972, he moved out of the Valley, up to Prescott, to take over as Chairman, and teaching in, the Industrial Ed Department at Yavapai Junior College.
While at Peoria, Ray built an Automotive curriculum, to include a full-on auto shop. He also taught drafting, in the auto classroom. Neither of those programs existed when he arrived. While there, in the early years, he also taught art and typing. Through his tenure at PHS, he coached all the boys' sports and was head varsity track, field, and CrossCountry coach. He filled his summers with classes at Northern Arizona University.
A memorial will be held for Ray Lee Kiel on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at the Community Center in Glenwood, New Mexico, starting at 2:00 pm.
Cremation has taken place at Terrazas Crematory.
Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory.
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