Sea Ray – a message from the Ray family that tugs the heartstrings
by Bob Wonders on 18 Dec 2009
C.N. ’Connie’ Ray in 1959 SW
Regular readers may recall that back in mid-November, the 19th, as I recall, I wrote sadly of the passing of industry legend Cornelius Nathaniel Ray, the American who 50-years ago established Sea Ray Boats.
‘Connie' or C.N. as he was widely known to friends, family and acquaintances, passed away aged 84 after a courageous battle against cancer.
C.N. Ray was a giant of the recreational boating industry; a pioneer is the use of fibreglass and introducing automotive-style interiors and upholstery to boats. He was known as a personable and modest man, a fact I discovered was all too true.
It was really driven home to me this week when I received an e-mail from a member of the family, Gail Frazar.
Her e-mail read: 'I thought you would enjoy knowing of his enjoyment and heartfelt disbelief that you, being so far away and with there having been so many years since he sold Sea Ray, that you would have an interest in his history. It was a chapter he enjoyed sharing with you. '
'C.N. would always say, ‘that was then, this is now'.
'He loved life and truly knew how to live in ‘the moment' with all the joy, passion and focus in his day to day life that he brought to his Sea Ray days.
'All in all, I wanted you to know he truly did enjoy traversing some of that ‘then' life with you.'
Well, ‘Connie' Ray may be gone, but his legacy lives on with the Brunswick Corporation still enjoying considerable success worldwide with the up-market Sea Ray marque. ‘Connie' or C.N. would, I'm sure, be impressed.
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