The Reverend Ray Michel, beloved pastor of Congregational and Universalist churches in western Ohio for nearly 40 years, died on his 98th birthday, 18 October 2018.

Raymond Andrew Michel was born on 18 October 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Margaret (Broeker) and Raymond George Michel. He began working in a local steel mill but after some years yielded to a ministerial call.

After study at Bangor (Maine) Theological School, Ray took a parish position in western Ohio. He earned his B.A. at nearby Earlham College in 1949 and his B.D. from Bangor in absentia the next year.

Mr. Michel was ordained to the Congregational Christian ministry in Concord OH in 1949 and continued yoked ministry to nearby churches until 1953. He then moved to Covington OH (1954–58), but that ministry ended when divorce made continued service unacceptable.

For seven years Ray was a social worker and remarried in 1961. Moving in a more liberal direction and encouraged by his new wife, the Rev’d Mr. Michel secured ministerial standing with the UUA in 1964 and began yoked ministry to Universalist churches in Eldorado and New Madison OH, where he served until retirement in 1992 and was named minister emeritus.

At a retirement celebration, the Rev’d Bruce Lakin recalled, “Time and again I have seen Ray come preach to people who seemed without enthusiasm for life, without spirit, dead. But after Ray preaches to them, the dead arise! They go forth into the world, happier and nicer to those they encounter.”

At his death, Ray Michel was survived by children Gerard, Terence, and Judith, two stepchildren, several grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his domestic partner and caregiver of 15 years, Grace Wilcox.

A celebration of Ray’s life was held 10 November 2018. Memorial contributions were encouraged to the Hawker UCC memorial fund (Beavercreek OH) or to UURMaPA.