UPDATE, MARCH 10, 2020:

Thank you to all who have kindly sent their love and condolences to our family. Due to the uncertainty of the Coronavirus and the evolving recommendations from public health officials, Rays’ celebration of life has been postponed. Once we feel certain that it is safe for people to gather, we will announce another date. Thank you for your understanding and support. 

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Ray Oliver Mechals was born on August 24, 1932 in Sunnyside, Washington and passed away peacefully at home on February 19, 2020, surrounded by his loving family.

Ray spent his youth in Westport, Washington. He was a gifted athlete, graduating from Ocosta High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. In 2000, Ray was selected as Athlete of the Century at Ocosta High School.

In 1952, he was admitted to Humboldt State College where he continued to play all three sports. The football team won the Far Western Conference Championship his first year there. Ray made All Far Western Conference in Football and received the Mr. Tackle Award all three years (1951-54) and was team captain in 1954. The friends he made while playing became lifelong friends. In 1966, he was inducted into the sports Hall of Fame at Humboldt State University.

In 1952, Ray met Nadine Lozensky and they were married on June 27, 1953. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a teaching credential in 1956, they moved to Eureka where he began his professional life. Ray spent most of his early teaching and coaching career at St. Bernard’s High School, with a short stint at Arcata High School from 1962-63. During his time at St. Bernard’s High School, he coached almost every sport and held the position of Athletic Director. In 1972, Ray began teaching craft classes and coaching boys’ basketball at Zane Jr. High School where he stayed for five years prior to moving to Eureka High School in 1977.

In addition to teaching, Ray was a beloved coach and mentor and while at Eureka High spent fourteen years as the Activities Director and student body advisor. It was important to him to promote school spirit. He retired in June, 1994 from Eureka City Schools.

For 35 years Ray enjoyed football officiating, at both the high school and collegiate level.

In addition to his accomplishments, athletically, and his career as a teacher and a coach, he was an amazing family man. He was a man of integrity, honesty, hard work, empathy, sympathy, compassion, dedication and competition.

He loved to go camping, fishing, duck hunting, clamming and paint houses with friends. To him, the importance of a trip was the adventure, not the destination. He delighted in getting the trailer ready for a trip and having everything organized.

He enjoyed tinkering on almost anything and making things look better with a new paint job. He built vintage model airplanes and made wood mosaics that were an expression of his creativity. A ten minute trip to the hardware store would turn into a forty-five minute meet and greet because Dad knew everyone in town.

He could make the players on a football team find their mental and physical limits just to win a tootsie pop at the end of a long double-day practice. Tootsie pops were his favorite motivational tool. His shoes were always shined and he used words like spiffy and Jake the snake.

He was tolerant and understanding. He was also strict and expected a lot. He pushed you until you tried a little harder. He got results.

Ray spent his retirement years with family and friends and enjoyed RVing the Pacific Coast, the Hat Creek area of Mt. Lassen, Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe. He cherished time with his grandchildren camping, fishing and attending their sporting events.

Ray was a lifelong member of the Henderson Center Kiwanis Club and a member of the Eureka Elks Lodge No. 652.

He was preceded in death by his mother Anna Mechals, father Charlie Mechals and his beloved parents-in-law, Milton and Anne Lozensky.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Nadine, and his children Hugh Mechals (Cheryl) , Kristine Mechals (Catherine), Teresa Flores (Ray) and Donald Mechals (Diana), grandchildren Jennifer Hatfield (Rick), Jamie Koch (Jon), Jerrad Mechals (Lauren), Jason Mixer (Amy), Misty Sparrow (Jeff), Dusty Aros (Brandy), brother-in-law Don Lozensky (Annette), cousin Barbara Hale (Pete) and great grandchildren Chase, Knightlee, Taylor, Riley, Jaxon, Colton, Isabella, Ethan, Justin, Logan, Tobylee, Hailey, Charlee, and additional relatives and friends .

A celebration of life will be held in Ray’s honor on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at the Elks Lodge in Eureka, located at 445 Herrick Road, Eureka, California from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity of your choice.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Ray Mechals’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.