Carl Raymond “Ray” Salo of Rudyard, Michigan, passed away on December 5, 2024, at Pinecrest Village in Mackinaw City, Michigan. He was born on May 16, 1936, in Rudyard to Toivo H. Salo and Lempi E. (Hakola) Salo.
Prior to graduating from Rudyard High School in 1954, Ray bought the farm across from the Hakola family farm in Rudyard, then went to Michigan State for a course in their agriculture program. He later went to work as a mechanic at United Airlines in Detroit, Michigan, before returning to Rudyard. He married Deanna Leach in 1957, and they raised their four children in the home they built on his farm. He worked at the Corps of Engineers on the St. Mary’s River and later started working as a bus mechanic for the Rudyard Area Schools System. During this time, he also started part-time work as a mechanic for the United Parcel Service. He retired from the Rudyard Area Schools System in 1990.
Ray enjoyed going to the children’s sports events and was involved with the Rudyard Sports Booster Club. Snowmobiling, golfing, fishing and some trapping were his pastimes, and he always enjoyed fixing things and helping others with repairs. He enjoyed the times spent at HAMASAKO Camp. He liked playing the piano and organ and had quite a talent with the accordion, although he preferred not having an audience. He enjoyed time at the cabin on St. Martin’s Bay, which is where family vacations were spent, until relatives moved out west. Then vacations were spent in California and Arizona. He later took up an interest in photography and set up a dark room at home to develop his photos.
Ray married Lora (Dowd) Malaska in 1991. They enjoyed traveling, which included trips out west and to Florida, as well as a cruise to Alaska. He cared for her during her illness until she passed away in 1997.
Ray later made trips to Las Vegas, Nevada, to visit his sons, and to California where he spent time with his sister and family and then his daughter and family, who had him join them on one of their trips to Hawaii. Even after his stroke in 2006, the kids ensured he continued his travels to Nevada and California. He enjoyed a Caribbean cruise with three of his kids and one of his grandsons. He even went ziplining in Las Vegas at the age of 80! After his stroke, he resided over the years at Cedar Cove Assisted Living in Cedarville, Michigan, Castle Rock Retirement Center in St. Ignace, Michigan, and Pinecrest Village in Mackinaw City, with periods in between that Keith cared for him at the farm in Rudyard and in Las Vegas, and when Ken cared for him in the Soo. He loved it when his kids were home to bring him back to the family farm, and he always looked forward to Rudyard and Pickford Community Days where he enjoyed visiting his numerous friends and relatives. His smile and wit will be missed by so many.
Ray had attended the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches of Rudyard.
Ray is survived by his children, Kevin Salo of Las Vegas, Karen Logan of Los Gatos, California, Keith Salo of Las Vegas and Ken Salo of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; grandchildren, Austin (Ali) Logan of San Jose, California; Alyssa (Nathan) Roitz of Cincinnati, Ohio; Justen Salo of Appleton, Wisconsin, Aidan Salo of Sault Ste. Marie; step grandchildren, Billy of Campbell, California; Laura (Jared) Bogaard of Santa Cruz, California; and Diane (Sean) Lindsay of Scotts Valley, California; great-granddaughters, Elle Logan and Madeline Roitz; step great-grandchildren James, Thomas and Michael Bogaard, Graeme and Clark Logan, Olivia and Ryan Lyndsay.
Ray is also survived by his stepchildren, Denise (David) Shute of Rudyard, Jeff (Wendy) Malaska of Cedarville, Lisa Malaska (Larry Beacom) of Traverse City, Michigan, Melissa (Rod) Izzard of DePere, Wisconsin, Kristin Malaska of Traverse City, and 12 step-grandchildren and 10 step-great grandchildren.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Toivo and Lempi; wife, Lora; son-in-law, Michael Logan; sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Edward Dowd; and brother, Gary Salo.
A special Thank You to the staff at Pinecrest Village for their care of our dad these past three years.
A Visitation and Service will be held in the Spring at Family Life Funeral Home in Pickford with internment at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie.
Family Life Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be left to the family at www.familylifefh.com.
Obituary as submitted by family.
