Jimmy "Ray" Lanfear

Ray Lanfear, proud father, loving spouse, longtime teacher in the University of Montana Philosophy Department, fixture in the Missoula tennis community, accomplished fly fisherman and handyman extraordinaire died May 27, 2015 of metastatic prostate cancer.
Ray was born in Kingsville, Texas in 1932 and raised with his elder brother Gene in Corpus Christi, Texas. His childhood was filled with outdoor activities on the beautiful south Texas gulf coast. Ray left Corpus Christi and attended college at Baylor University. After graduation from Baylor, he enrolled in the Southwestern Theological Seminary earning his Divinity degree. Like Ray, some students at Southwestern followed an older, liberal tradition in the Baptist Church including Ray's classmate Bill Moyers. For several years after receiving his Divinity degree, Ray served as pastor of Baptist churches in central Texas, but as he became increasingly disenchanted with the conservative and (in his opinion) narrow-minded direction of the Baptist church, he decided to leave the ministry and get a graduate degree in philosophy. Ray returned to Baylor University where he received his M.A. in philosophy, and stayed on to teach philosophy at Baylor for a year. Ray then went to Rice University where he received his Ph.D. Upon graduation, Ray took a philosophy position for two years at East Carolina University. While at ECU he advised the Black Student Union during two tense and difficult years of the civil rights movement in North Carolina. Then, in 1969, he came to the University of Montana. During his 30 years in the Philosophy Department at the UM, Ray taught the department's core courses in analytic philosophy, and he participated in the humanities program and the intensive humanities program teaching literature from Greek tragedy and the Old Testament to Flaubert's Madam Bovary. Ray loved working with his colleagues in the humanities program including Henry Bugbee, Fred McGlynn, John Lawry, and Phil Fandozzi. Ray was a fine teacher, expecting that his students write clearly and think analytically. Many of Ray's students have written him over the years to thank him for his care and guidance during their undergraduate years, and crediting him as an important influence in the development of their personal lives and professional careers. During his years at UM, Ray was chosen by his colleagues to serve as Chair of the Philosophy Department, and he was elected Chair of the Faculty Senate.
While Ray was at Baylor, he married Pat, and in subsequent years Pat and Ray had three daughters, Jeanne (Jay), Laura (Robert), and Emily (Clint). Ray was devoted to his girls, proud of their accomplishments and supportive of their lives. Ray and Pat also adopted and raised a son, Jon (Rita). Ray and Pat divorced after the family had been in Montana about five years. Ray has four grandchildren- Melissa, Leah, Nichole and Stephanie, and one great-grandchild, Victoria.
Ray loved Montana almost from the moment he arrived. He learned to fly fish from Henry Bugbee and their mutual friends Tom Huff and Roger Powalisz, and he became an accomplished Steelheader on the Lochsa, Selway, Clearwater, and Lower Salmon rivers. One season he took a 12-pound wild steelhead on the Lochsa River at Post Office Creek barely 12 miles from the top of Lolo Pass. He also caught many large trout in the summers on Georgetown Lake during the damsel and caddis hatches. In later years, he met Michael Allen, who taught Ray how to catch trout with small nymphs on Duck Lake on the Blackfeet Reservation. Ray and Michael spent many wonderful hours around the campfire at Duck Lake solving the world's problems. Ray could tie beautiful flies. His caddis imitation and his shrimp nymph or scud, which he learned from Gene Andrie, was much sought after by his fishing companions.
Ten years before his retirement in 1998, Ray took up tennis, which he came to love. He played with many friends in the tennis communities at The Club and The Peak, and for two years he successfully headed the Western Montana Open using, in equal parts, his considerable organizational skills and his sharp sense of humor. He also served on several state tennis boards where he made many friends. Over the years, Ray became a fine cook. Friends and family frequently gathered round his large and bountiful table for fine food, and conversation oft turned to raucous laughter. During his retirement Ray also built beautiful furniture which adorns his home.
Ray was a gentle, good humored and self-effacing man. He was unfailingly generous with both his time and his energy. He loved the company that his colleagues in philosophy, his tennis friends, and his fishing companions provided and he treasured each and every visit from his children and grandchildren. Ray especially loved and respected his wife Shirley who left her home, her job, and her family in Indiana to share her life with Ray, and Ray was most grateful for the generous way in which Shirley's family- daughters Lisa (Mark), Jodi (Ed), and grandchildren Lydia, Justin and Kati welcomed Ray into their family. He also loved the time he spent with good friend Sally Moore.
With the help of Keith Campbell and Danny Di Mezza, Shirley and Ray renovated their house, turning it into a most beautiful home. Ray worked elbow to elbow with Keith and Danny on these efforts, and Keith and Danny became close and supportive friends during Ray's illness.
Ray spent many happy hours helping Shirley design and grow gardens that often draw compliments from passers-by. Shirley and Ray loved hiking trails with their dog Henri. Shirley's meticulous care, warmth and deep love, helped carry Ray through the most difficult periods of his diagnosis and illness.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to be made to the University of Montana Philosophy Department for student scholarships.
Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com

Read Jimmy Lanfear's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.