Ray Sikes Memorial

One of a kind beloved father, brother, son, coach, friend, and newly grandpa, Raymond Charles Sikes, suddenly departed this earth and returned to his heavenly home at 60-years-old. Complete shock to all those who love him, knew him, and even to complete strangers. Words cannot even begin to describe the man, known as Ray Ray to most, about how much he means to us. A father figure to those without fathers and those who had them. He was the greatest single father and gave his two sons everything he never had, starting with being the best father to them and never leaving them.

The biggest, wide, pearly white smile, given to friends and a random passerby. Always the first to say hello, call you up, tell you he was thinking of you, remember your birthday, tell you a story. Our hearts are completely broken and devastated. No one will ever replace him. In this lifetime and the next, we will never forget him.

Raymond Charles Sikes devoted his life to his two sons Brian and Adam, dog Kobe, grandson Atticus Raymond, siblings, family, God, coaching, music, and sports. A man of strong convictions and devout Christian, he always wore his cross necklace to keep his lord and savior by his side. The number one fan of the Raiders and Athletics, always loyal to his teams, wins or losses. He treated everyone with respect and love, all people from different backgrounds (even if you were a Chiefs or 49ers fan) and all animals.

He had a heart of gold, just like his beloved mother Shirley, and he made her so proud honoring her legacy every single day to be the best man he could. He is now reunited with his cherished mother as they both have each other once again. He lived his life to the greatest and loved his two sons so much, he wanted to give them the world because they were his. 

The most passionate coach, teaching so many people baseball and football, touching so many lives, and most recently a Varsity Assistant coach at Beckman High School in Tustin, CA. His sudden passing has left us all mourning the absence of this gentle giant and kind man. Taken much too soon, he was just going to get his second chapter with his new grandson. Where do we begin, we all think. How could we even even go on without him physically. If you met Ray, you have most likely heard one of his many stories and if you never met him, you will hear of them.

Ray just became a grandfather less than two months ago to his first grand child, a boy named after him, honoring the great man. He was the greatest father to his two sons and now he was more excited than ever just to replay all those baby days, from changing diapers, introducing them to his music, to rocking them to sleep, and just being Grandpa Ray. 

Please help his family pay for the cost of funeral arrangements and memorial services if you can. To the man who would help complete strangers, we now try to repay him back. Always proud and strong, he never asked for a handout and never wanted to burden others. Instead he showered everyone with the most thoughtful gifts, just to remind you he was thinking of you. Do not feel obligated to contribute financially in any way, instead if you cannot, please share his stories and talk about him, keep his memory alive always. Tell us things about him we may not have known. Keep him alive in your heart. 

Let us all honor and tribute Ray every single day by smiling more, laughing harder, listening to music loud and singing along, saying hi to strangers and waving, chatting up random people and leaving an everlasting footprint, letting go of grudges, telling our family and friends we love them every single day. It is so difficult to even write in the past tense because he is so alive in all of us. 

Thank you Ray Sikes, for being the greatest father, grandpa, son, brother, coach, fan, friend. Thank you for being you. Now he is watching over us and taking care of all of us. You know he is looking from above with all the love in the world and you can already hear him scream at the referees and plays during a Raiders game. We will watch every game with you and do the same.

Forever and always with us.